DANNY REAGAN'S WAR
by The Great Artiste
Summary: Fed up with always being in trouble, 17 year old Danny Reagan left home and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. 35 years later, he retires as Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, the most senior enlisted Marine. Adjusting to life as a civilian, will he be able to end his personal war with the person he holds most responsible for driving him away from his family?
1. Chapter 1

Marine Barracks, Washington D.C.

31 AUG 2025

11:45 hours local

Danny Reagan looked around his spartan quarters for the last time.

This had been his final home in the Marine Corps.

"35 years" he mused to himself as he threw his duffle bag over his shoulder before lifting his carry on.

He had spent the previous weekend packing up the remainder of his personal possessions that he booked into a storage unit a few miles away.

It was 11:45 a.m. and only 15 minutes remained in his military career for at the stroke of noon, 52-year-old Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Daniel Fitzgerald Reagan would become Danny Reagan, civilian.

He thought back to his first day at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island and to the events that had led to his enlistment in the world's most revered fighting force.

For the first time since he could remember, Danny felt his eyes tear up as he realized that while he would never be a man without a country, at the present, he was a man without a family, and that included more than the Marine Corps.

Squaring himself away, Danny executed a sharp nod and exited into the garish sunlight of the nation's capital.

He began his walk toward the front gate on the 8th Street side of the Barracks, arriving at 11:59 a.m. He would have made the walk in less time had he not stopped several times to return the salute of his troops who had formed an honor guard to mark the mustering out of the Corps' most senior ranked enlisted man.

No words had been spoken for none were required. Each Marine knew what the Sergeant Major was feeling and Danny in turn knew what each Marine was thinking, besides, Marines did not display emotion, nor did they like long goodbyes.

Danny arrived at the gate one minute before noon, at which time the Staff Sergeant on duty began to open it.

"Snap to" Danny ordered.

"Yes Sergeant Major" the Staff Sergeant replied as he froze in his tracks and came to full attention.

"What is your major malfunction Staff Sergeant?" Danny bellowed.

"I don't understand the Sergeant Major's question" he replied.

"Then I will rephrase. What are you doing Staff Sergeant?" Danny inquired.

"Opening the gate so that the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps may depart the Barracks Sergeant Major." He replied.

"What time is it Staff Sergeant?" Danny asked.

"Eleven Fifty-Nine hours Sergeant Major." He replied.

"Correct, which means for the next sixty seconds I am on active duty and were I to cross the threshold of the gate prior to Twelve Hundred Hours, I would be AWOL, and that will not be my final act as a United States Marine, do you read me Staff Sergeant" Danny yelled loud enough to be heard not only throughout the Barracks, but halfway across the District and into parts of Maryland and Virginia.

"Yes Sergeant Major, the Staff Sergeant reads you loud and clear" he replied.

Danny had been so preoccupied with his walk to the gate and the subsequent dressing down of the Staff Sergeant, that he had failed to notice a car that had pulled up and parked against the curb next to the gate.

The occupant alighted from the driver's side, leaned his arm onto the roof, and looked over at the older Marine screaming at the younger one. And smiled.

"Hey Staff Sergeant, in one minute, you can tell the old grunt to shove it up his ass and there will be nothing that he can do about it" The man shouted which instantly drew Danny's trademark death glare.

"Twelve Hundred Hours, Sergeant Major. You are relieved of duty" The Staff Sergeant stated as he executed a crisp salute as Danny quickly directed his attention back to the Staff Sergeant.

"I stand relieved." Danny replied executing an even crisper salute before turning 180 degrees about and saluting the Barracks. "God Bless the United States of America, and the United States Marine Corps. Ooh Rah."

Danny then spun around ready to give the driver of the car a piece of his mind when he realized who it was.

"Joe?" Danny haltingly inquired.

"Hello big brother" Joe smiled as Danny walked out onto 8th Street, the gate closing behind him.

Danny held out his right hand to shake Joe's but instead was enveloped in a bear hug by the younger, yet much larger man.

While the brothers had traded letters, email, holiday cards, and the occasional photograph over the past 35 years, they had only seen one another one time and that was at Joe's wedding 25 years eariler when Danny had served as a groomsman.

"Damn Joe, you're as big as I remember Dad to be" Danny exclaimed.

"I'm an inch taller" Joe grinned as he inspected Danny.

"And you are one squared away Marine" Joe complimented.

"I was one squared away Marine until a minute ago" Danny dejectedly replied.

Joe hooked his thumb at the car. "Let's get out of here, time for you to make some new memories".

Danny placed his duffle and bag into the back seat before hopping in the passenger seat to join Joe.

"How's Angie and the kids?" Danny inquired.

"Angie is fantastic and your niece and nephews have all grown up. We booted the last one out of the house a year ago" Joe stated.

"The twins are what, 22 so Alexa must be 19" Danny posited.

"She is in her second year at Columbia. Frank is at Yale Law, and Daniel is at Harvard's Med school".

"You and Angie must be so proud" Danny exclaimed to his brother's delight.

"How about Nicky?" Danny inquired regarding Erin's daughter.

"28, serious boyfriend, and a hot and coming young prosecutor with the Manhattan DA's office".

"Just like her mother was at that age". Danny noted recalling the letters that Erin and Joe had sent him a quarter century ago. He'd have to inspect this so-called boyfriend for himself.

Joe looked over to Danny knowing full well what he was thinking. "Don't even think of terrorizing the poor boy" Joe warned.

"Terrorize? No. Maybe just a little Marine Corps hazing" Danny smirked. How's Erin doing?"

Managing partner at one of the largest New York City law firms".

"She seeing anyone?" Danny asked.

"Keep your famous temper in check when I tell you that she's back with Boyle" Joe cautiously replied.

Joe looked over to see his brother's face immediately transform into that of a stone-cold killer but to his credit, Danny never uttered a word. Joe knew that only Danny's Marine discipline was keeping his brother in check.

"How's Pops doing?" Danny asked with more concern regarding his 92-year-old grandfather.

"Put your uniform on him and he could be the Marine Corps' General Patton" Joe chuckled.

Danny smiled for the first time. "That old tank could outperform many a platoon of Marines that I encountered over the years, show them what it was like to have served in his day, none of this P.C. shit".

Danny had been required to make more than a few adjustments over his 35 years in the Corps due to the prevailing political winds, and he honestly believed that the Marine Corps was a weaker unit now than it was on the day that he was inducted.

"You are a chip off your grandfather's block Danny boy" Joe teased.

"Damned proud of it too" Danny nodded before inquiring. "And Dad?"

"Slowing down, I mean he is 70 now".

"And still running the NYPD with an iron fist I'll bet" Danny opined.

"Best decision that I ever made was not following that foot path" Joe noted.

"Dr. Joseph Conor Reagan, Psychiatrist" Danny admiringly stated before directing Joe to the motel that he had rented for the night.

"Call and cancel it, you're coming home with me to New York" Joe replied as they headed north towards the Baltimore-Washington Parkway.

"No way Joe" Danny objected.

"Stow it Marine, you're outranked here. The kids came home to meet their Uncle Danny. Angie can't wait to see you again and Erin and Nicky haven't shut up since I told them I was coming down here to corral you".

"And Dad and Pops?" Danny asked.

"Pops is 20 years younger since I told him. Dad, let's just say that he hasn't forgiven himself for why you left in the first place and I think it's going to take some time for both of you to adjust to one another, but he is grateful that you are alive and coming home. After all, you are not only his son, you are his first born" Joe answered.

Danny pressed his lips together and nodded. He expected that one day he would have to deal with his father and the many old wounds between them.

The next 20 miles went by in silence as Joe waited for a question that never came. Finally, he decided to break the ice.

"There's one family member that you haven't asked about" Joe commented as he stared straight ahead.

Danny remained silent not taking the bait.

Finally, Joe couldn't contain himself. "He's your brother too".

Danny turned to face Joe. "Which is why I spent the past 35 years in the Marine Corps" Danny icily replied as he did his best to wipe Jamison Reagan from his mind.

Joe nodded and refocused his thoughts. Even with all his psychiatric training and experience, it was going to take a miracle to bring some element of closure to Danny Reagan's War.


	2. Chapter 2

METHODIST HOSPITAL OF BROOKLYN

BROOKLYN, NY

11 OCT 1982

18:09 hours local.

Two hours earlier, ten-year-old Danny Reagan, his eight-year-old sister Erin, and their five-year-old brother Joe had returned home from another crappy day at school, or that was Danny's perception of it. If you listened to Erin, school was a wonderful place and at his age, all Joe did all day was play so he tended to side with his big sister on the issue.

What was unusual this day was that instead of their mother waiting in the kitchen with milk, cookies, and orders for Danny to get to his homework, they found their grandfather, the Deputy Chief of the NYPD, sitting at the table waiting for them.

While Danny relished any occasion where he could spend time with his grandpa regaling him with stories of his days as a Marine, or the bad old days with the NYPD, Danny sensed that something was amiss.

Henry quickly caught on to Danny's body language. "Boy, you're going to make a great detective one day" he complimented Danny.

"What's wrong?" Danny asked.

"Wrong? Nothing my boy" Henry smiled. "Your father and grandmother have taken your mother to the hospital." He smiled.

"Is Mommy sick?" Joe innocently inquired.

"No silly, she's gone to give birth to our new sister" Erin beamed.

"And what makes you think that it's a sister and not another brother?" Danny asked.

"Because I say my prayers, do my school work, help mom out at home, and attend Church every Sunday" Erin answered.

"And how does that guarantee that your mom's having a baby girl sweetheart?" Henry gently asked Erin.

"Because I've been a very good girl grandpa and God wouldn't be cruel enough to punish me with another brother" Erin sincerely answered.

"You know, with an answer like that, he just might" Danny grinned as he high fived little Joe.

"You are such a Neanderthal, I rest my case" Erin stated as she opened the refrigerator for her snack.

"Am I a whatever Erin said too?" Joe innocently asked Danny.

"If you hang around Danny long enough you will be" Erin replied.

"Okay, just for that, God is at this very moment changing our new sister into a brother and it's all on you" Danny fired back.

"Okay you two, knock it off. I'm waiting for your father or grandmother to call that its time and then I am taking all three of you to the hospital to meet your new sibling, and be she a girl, or he a boy, whatever God has chosen in His infinite wisdom to give you, you Will accept it, you Will love it, and most of all, you Will like it, do I make myself clear?" Henry stated a voice that had terrorized many a perp over the years.

Henry was promptly answered by a chorus of"Yes Sir" in three part harmony.

"Good, now in the meantime, I made you all a snack and then Danny and Erin can hit the books while Joe helps me make dinner" Henry informed them.

No sooner had Danny sat down to his homework than he heard the phone ring, and not a minute later Henry called upstairs.

"Daniel, Erin, it's time to head to the hospital".

And here he was now, seated in the waiting room with his grandparents, sister, and brother waiting on his father to tell him something.

Finally, at 6:45 p.m. a beaming Frank Reagan strode into the private waiting room bearing a bundle wrapped in a blue blanket.

He looked at his three children with equal pride.

He sat his 6'4" frame on the nearest chair and asked that his children come over.

"I'd like for you three to meet your new brother, Jamison Christopher Reagan".

Danny lit up like a Christmas tree. "Another brother, yes!" he exclaimed as he gave Erin his trademark smirk.

Erin was on the verge of tears and Henry noticed.

"Erin, what did we discuss not two hours ago?" He inquired.

"Yes grandpa, I know" She said as she leaned in and gave her new brother a kiss on the forehead.

Finally, Joe looked up at his father. "Does this mean I'm no longer the baby?" he innocently asked.

"Well Joe, you'll always be mine and your mother's baby but to answer your question, Jamison is now the baby of the family and you young man are finally a big brother" Frank smiled.

"You hear that Jamie, I'm your big brother Joe and you and me is gonna be best friends" Joe informed his younger brother.

"You and I are going to be best friends" Erin corrected.

"What she said" Joe announced to Jamie.

"Who picked the names?" Erin asked.

"Well, your mom and I had already picked Jamison, and your grandma Betty picked Christopher" he smiled.

Henry nodded at the latter knowing that Frank had no knowledge that he had an older brother, Peter Christopher, who died of leukemia 18 months before Frank had been born. Betty wanted this grandchild to in some small way, honor the son she had lost.

Frank looked at his only daughter. "I know how much you wanted a little sister".

"It's okay Daddy, he's perfect and I will love him the same way that I do Joey" She sweetly replied.

"How about your other brother?" Frank inquired already knowing the answer.

"Would you accept two out of three?" She innocently asked.

"Erin Margaret" Henry bellowed from behind.

Erin spun to face her grandfather. "I promised to accept, to love, and to like Jamie, you never said anything about Danny" She countered.

"She's right Pops" Joe advised.

"What about you?" Frank asked Danny.

"What does it matter, my opinion never counts for anything, so hey, I have another sibling, great. All that matters is that I know my job. Protect him, do whatever you or mom tell me to do for him, and most importantly, take the rap and the beatings for whatever he ends up getting into like I do with Erin and Joe, got it covered" Danny responded.

Frank was blindsided by what Danny had just said, and in the euphoria of his baby boy choosing that very moment to gurgle, he quickly refocused his attention on Jamie and put Danny out of his mind however, unbeknownst to the proud father of a 45 minute old son, an event almost 18 years later would occur that would cause the then seasoned father and detective to recall this very moment, and those very words, and to realize that he had missed the first in a series of warning signs that would culminate in an act that would haunt him for the rest of his life.


	3. Chapter 3

Northbound Baltimore-Washington Parkway

31 AUG 2025

12:49 hours local

"You still got Dad's Chevelle?" Danny inquired.

"My baby? Sure do" Joe proudly replied.

"Surprised you brought your daily driver down here. Would have been a good time to give that beauty a good run" Danny opined.

"I thought about it, but now that she's over 50 years old and officially an antique, I only take her out to car shows, parades, and the occasional night out with Angie" Joe grinned.

"Yeah, and to think that I was conceived in the back seat of that car" Danny grunted.

"That's one memory of her that I don't need bro" Joe fired back.

"You can remember it the next time you're making out in the back seat with Angie" Danny chuckled.

"Seriously Danny?" a frustrated Joe asked.

"Good to see that I can still get under your skin after all these years" Danny noted.

Joe brought the conversation back on track. "You are going to have to face him at some point".

"Maybe, maybe not" Danny replied.

"Danny, he was just a little kid, if anything, your issues don't lie with him. He's as much a victim in this as you are" Joe countered.

"He had his part in it and he knew what he was doing" Danny responded.

"Come on, I was his age and it didn't bother you when I pissed you off or got you in trouble" Joe replied.

"If memory serves, it was usually me getting you into trouble" Danny corrected.

"True dat bro, but on those rare occasions that it was my fault, you never reacted the same way to me" Joe stated.

"It was different with you, the way our parents acted if it was you compared with him" Danny informed his younger brother.

"So, blame it on them as I'm sure you have, but not on Jamie. You've ignored him for 35 years, you don't think that you've punished, no, strike that, hurt him enough?" Joe pointedly inquired.

Joe noticed the far away look in Danny's eyes as he stared straight ahead, lost in thought, and knew that he had drilled his point home.

8070 Harborview Terrace

Brooklyn, NY

4 FEB 1983

16:46 hours local

Mary Reagan looked over at her husband and smiled. "That was the last load" She stated as the moving truck began to drive away.

"We are finally in our new house" Frank exclaimed before kissing his wife, not knowing that his two elder children were watching.

"Gross, can you save the PDA for later?" Danny inquired.

"Awww, that was so sweet Dad" Erin stated.

"The differences between sons and daughters" Mary chuckled.

At that moment, the quiet of the new house was broken by the whine of four-month Jamison.

"I'll take care of the baby, Danny, go help your father set up his room" Mary ordered.

"But Mom, I haven't even finished unpacking my own stuff" Danny complained.

Mary picked up a large wooden spoon from the counter. "Don't argue with me Daniel or you'll be spending your first night under this roof with a sore behind."

"Yes Ma'am" Danny said as he sulked away towards Jamie's room.

Erin giggled as she headed off to her room to unpack.

"Mary, did you have to threaten him?" Frank inquired.

"The only two things that get through his thick Irish head are being grounded or turned over my knee and quite honestly Frank, I find it a lot easier lately getting the latter over with than having to spend my time enforcing the former, now get upstairs and help him or I'll be using this spoon on your behind later tonight" She mischievously grinned.

"Danny, wait up son" Frank called out as he mockingly ran towards the stairs.

Northbound Baltimore-Washington Parkway

31 AUG 2025

12:54 hours local

"That was the first of hundreds of times that I had to sacrifice what I had planned in order to serve his Royal Highness" Danny stated.

"And when you objected, Mom punished you, I know, and she was wrong. It was her job and Dad's, not yours, Erin's or mine" Joe replied. "But put the blame where it belongs Danny, on Mom and Dad, not on Jamie".

"Oh come on Joe, you've always stood up for him, even when he did something that cost you a licking" Danny angrily retorted.

"Sure, but with me, it's because I made a bad choice in the activities I involved him in. Until I was 15 or so, I never had to be responsible for him and if I had something important planned, they'd get a sitter to watch him or Erin would come over or take him home with her" Joe replied.

"Yeah, but not back then, no, it was always me. He wasn't feeling well so I had to cancel my plans so that I could stay home and babysit Little Lord Fauntleroy, or how many times did I have to back out of going out with my friends because he would do something to piss me off knowing that I'd be grounded and he'd have me stuck at home to play with, or how many of my things did he break or hide and when I finally did something about it because Mom wouldn't dare discipline her precious prince, did my ass pay the price" Danny responded.

"He has a name Danny" Joe noted.

"That would be FUBAR" Danny grunted in reply.

"Huh?" Joe inquired.

"It's a military acronym for 'Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition'" Danny smirked.

"That's neither funny nor constructive" Joe admonished.

Danny quickly caught on. "Is this going to be a four hour shrink session because if it is, you can drop me off at the next bus or train depot and I'll catch a southbound back to D.C."

Joe took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "How about you view this as an opportunity to finally get whatever anger you have out of your system so that you can begin the rest of your life in a good place because your days of taking your anger out on Marines like the Staff Sergeant are over brother, and if you don't learn to properly manage your feelings, you will either have a stroke, a heart attack, or will wind up dead or in prison from an act that you won't be able to walk away from".

Danny chewed on this for the next 5 miles before he nodded.

"Maybe you're right Joe. Maybe the problem here is that I have known for a long time that Jamie wasn't the real problem, that it was Mom" Danny stated.

"Then why take it out on Jamie?" Joe asked.

"Because by the time I came to that realization 15 years ago, Mom was dead, and too much time had gone by for me to reconcile with Jamie. I had lost my chance to vent my anger on the person most responsible for not only hurting me, but for irrevocably damaging my relationship with my youngest sibling, and I was ashamed for letting her do that to me, and for how I responded". Danny confessed.

"Still want to catch that southbound to D.C.? Joe asked.

"Shut up private and drive" Danny growled.

"Yes Sir" Joe grinned.

"And don't "Sir" me, I work for a living" Danny snapped back.

"You mean that you worked for a living" Joe corrected. "As of an hour ago, you Sergeant Major are an unemployed bum" Joe laughed.

Danny nodded and laughed with him.

Maybe Joe's idea of a drive back home would turn out for the best.

Danny leaned his seat back and closed his eyes. "So this is what a mobile shrink couch feels like" He quipped before he finally understood.

He darted up to a sitting position and stared directly at Joe. "You little shit, you didn't leave the Chevelle home because it's an antique, you wanted me to get all comfy in these leather seats so that I would talk" he accused.

"And where would you like to start Sergeant Major?" Joe inquired in his best clinician's voice, the trace of a smile on his face.

After a moment of giving Joe the stink eye, Danny turned rested his head and closed his eyes. "Just wanted you to know that you still can't pull one over on me" Danny stated.

"So noted" Joe nodded.

"Perhaps it would be best for me to start at the end and work my way back to the beginning" Danny responded.

Joe looked at the car's clock. "We have three hours remaining in your appointment, so where to begin is up to you".

"I was born a poor black child" Danny began.

"Hey asshole, I'm being serious here" Joe snapped.

"Marine Humor, sorry" Danny laughed knowing that he had gotten one over on Joe.

"Remember the day that I left? He asked Joe, who affirmatively nodded.

"Mom and Dad never spoke about it with us and come to think of it, neither have you."

"Then today's the day" Danny stated as he slowly exhaled. "Here's what happened" he began.


	4. Chapter 4

OUR LADY OF SCREAMING AGONY PAROCHIAL SCHOOL

SISTER MARY ELEPHANT MEMORIAL CAMPUS

BROOKLYN, NY

16 JUN 1990

15:00 hours local

The Senior graduation class had all assembled in their appointed seats.

It was a beautiful spring day and the ceremony was being held on the campus's athletic field.

Seated in the front row was the Deputy Chief of Police, his wife, son, daughter-in-law, and three of his grandchildren. The fourth and eldest grandchild, the chip off his block, was seated with his class and would soon be walking across the dias to receive his high school diploma.

"I can't believe we are really here" Fifteen-Year-Old Erin stated to her grandmother Betty.

"Why is that sweetheart?" Betty inquired.

"Come on grandma, this is Danny we're talking about. I'm surprised he made it out of the 9th grade let alone graduated the 12th" she answered.

"Erin, mind your mouth" her mother warned.

"Yes Ma'am" Erin blushed to Frank and Henry's amusement.

Seven-Year-Old Jaime and Twelve-Year-Old Joe were seated between their parents.

In truth, Frank agreed with his daughter and at times wondered whether Danny would ever reach this day, but he had. In fact, when he reviewed Danny's report cards for his senior year, he couldn't believe this was the same boy who was lucky to skate by with a C average for the previous 11 years.

Mary was ecstatic when she saw that her son had carried a 3.9 GPA for his senior year, but she failed to notice the cold shoulder Danny gave her as she congratulated him on his efforts, and how he avoided answering her regarding what colleges he would be applying to.

Sister Margaret Ignatius stepped to the podium in an attempt to get the rowdy class to quiet down.

"Good afternoon class" she demurely stated into the microphone, but to no avail as the 12th grade boys and girls were simply too excited at the prospect of being freed from this hell on earth to pay her any attention.

She tried again: "Good afternoon class" but again, the students failed to pay her any attention.

She leaned in closer to the mike. "Class" she called out more forcefully.

Again, there was no reaction from the students who continued laughing, talking, and otherwise ignoring her.

"Class" she tried again but to no avail.

Finally, she had had enough and in the loudest voice she could muster, shouted directly into the microphone. "SHUT UP!"

Immediately all conversation ceased and one could have heard a pin drop.

"Thank you" she softly replied before giving away to the school's principal, Father Theodore.

"Um, thank you Sister" Father Theodore stated earning a demure nod and smile from Sister Margaret.

After 30 minutes of prayer, speeches, and invocations by the school's faculty, it was time for the Class of 1990 to receive their diplomas. The students were called up in alphabetical order.

Finally, it was time for those whose surnames began with the letter "R".

The Reagan family sat up straight as they awaited Danny.

"Miss Elizabeth Rattigan" Father Theodore called out.

Elizabeth Rattigan arose from his seat and strode across the makeshift dias to receive his diploma. He shook hands with the assembled faculty and staff and exited before returning to his seat.

"Mr. William Raines" Father Theodore announced, whereupon Billy Raines proceeded to receive his diploma.

"Mr. Michael Riley"

Michael Riley arose from his seat and strode across the makeshift dias to receive his diploma.

Mary looked over at Frank.

"They forgot Danny" She stated knowing that Reagan came before Riley.

Frank looked as confused as his wife but before he could format a reply, he was tapped on the shoulder by Danny's friend Mickey who handed Frank a blank envelope and walked away.

Frank looked across his younger sons to Mary who was giving him a look of bewilderment.

He opened the envelope to find a letter from Danny, one he had half expected to receive, just not today.

Frank put the letter back into the envelope and placed it into the inside pocket of his suitcoat.

"How about we head back to the car" He announced as he discretely rose and began heading towards the exit, followed by a very confused family.

When they reached their cars, Frank gathered everyone around and produced the letter.

"Danny's name wasn't called because his diploma was mailed to him yesterday" He announced.

"What do you mean, it was mailed to him" Mary inquired.

"Just what I said, he directed the school to mail his diploma to the house as he would not be attending today's ceremony".

"Where is your son Frank?" Betty coldly inquired.

Frank looked at his watch and then at his father. "Allowing for the fact that he left home this morning at 7:00 a.m. and it is now almost 4:00 p.m., I would estimate that he is currently somewhere near Richmond, Virginia.

"What?" An exasperated Mary yelled out.

"When is he coming home?" An anxious Jamie asked.

"He's not coming home" Frank gently answered.

"Where is he going?" a concerned Joe asked.

"Your brother is heading to South Carolina" He replied.

"Oh my God" Henry uttered as it hit home exactly what Danny had gotten himself into.

"What's there Dad?" a now frightened Erin asked.

Frank looked into Mary's eyes, for she recalled Frank having made the same trip when he was just a few months older than Danny.

"Marine Recruit Depot, Parris Island" Frank answered before again looking at his watch.

"He should arrive in about five hours".

"Why is he going there Daddy?" Jamie inquired.

Frank put his arms around his youngest. "To be inducted into the United States Marine Corps" Frank answered as he hugged his son to him, as much for his own emotional support as Jamie's.

"How can he join the Marines, he isn't 18 yet" Mary stammered.

"He can because I signed a waiver permitting him to join at 17" Frank replied.

"You did what?" She shouted loud enough to have been heard back on the athletic field.

"I'm sorry Mary, but he left me no alternative, and quite frankly, neither did you." Frank answered as he began to explain his Hobson's choice.

NORTHBOUND BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON PARKWAY

31 AUG 2025

13:04 hours local

They had just passed the Interstate 895 interchange as Joe began to merge into the right lane as the exit for northbound Interstate 95 loomed ahead.

"Anytime you want me to take over, let me know" Danny offered.

"I'm fine. Road trips like this remind me of all the times I drove up to Harvard to visit Jamie at law school. It's about the same distance so I'm kind of used to it" Joe replied.

"I'll bet you were proud of him, getting into Harvard and graduating" Danny said.

"As proud as I was of Erin when she graduated Fordham. I was equally proud to tell my friends that my elder brother was off serving his country as a United States Marine, and when you were appointed Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, I had a real brag fest" Joe stated.

"Really?" Danny inquired.

"Hand to God" Joe replied.

"And Erin?" Danny inquired.

"Erin was more concerned that something would happen to you. She had made peace that you were gone and would likely never return, that maybe she had seen you for the last time, but some of your deployments haunted her, such as Iraq and Afghanistan, though when anyone made a negative comment about our troops, Erin was right in their face. She wouldn't tolerate anyone disrespecting her big brother and his Corps" Joe informed Danny.

"How about the Kid?" Danny asked.

"He worshiped you. Still does. He looks at you as a superhero who popped into his life and then left one day to save the world. He still doesn't quite understand why you left, but he believes that it was because of him" Joe responded.

Danny clenched his lips together and nodded.

Joe continued: "For his 11th grade history project, he did this amazing presentation on the United States Marine Corps, and he included photos of our family members who had served. Pops gave him a pic of himself from Korea and of Great Grandpa Charles from World War I, and Dad gave him one of himself from Vietnam. He knew that we kept in touch so I gave him one of you, I think you had just made E5, so there you were with your newly minted Sergeant stripes. He had the photos of Great Grandpa, Pops, and Dad each made up as 16x20's but the one of you was 20x24. He was so proud of you, his big brother, it was like you were Apollo and the Corps was Mt. Olympus."

"Okay, you made your point" Danny snapped in between chewing his upper lip.

"So, you were explaining what happened the day you left, but not what led up to it" Joe prodded.

"You mean the straw that broke the camel's back, right?" Danny asked.

"If I remember correctly, wasn't it more along the lines of the hairbrush that broke your backside" Joe semi-teased.

"Exactly" Danny acknowledged as he recalled that idyllic fall afternoon almost 36 years earlier, and what had begun as a great day, had quickly gone to hell landing him in the thick of the shit.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

"Sister Mary Elephant" and "class, class, SHUT UP" is from the Cheech & Chong comedy album "High Five". Here's the link: watch?v=aDaCNA3pink


	5. Chapter 5

8070 Harborview Terrace

Brooklyn, NY

7 NOV 1989

15:27 hours local

Danny Reagan sat at the kitchen table, his history class book report half finished before him.

His senior year of high school had begun two months earlier and he knew that if he wanted to enter the NYPD Academy and follow in this father's footsteps, that he had to get his total GPA up and come hell or high water, he was going to do it. No more slacking, or waiting until the last minute on assignments, he wanted to get out ahead of them and while the book report was not due until the end of the semester, he had spent the previous weekend holed up at his grandparent's house far away from his pestering baby brother who was always bothering him to play or to help him with something.

He had taken detailed notes as he read the book and over the past two days he had begun comprising the report, in as neat and legible handwriting as he could manage, and that wasn't easy for the southpaw as his left hand tended to drag across the fresh ink.

Erin, now in 10th grade and Joe in 7th, were in their rooms completing their homework assignments and the house was relatively quiet.

Mary looked over at Danny and couldn't help but notice this new version of him, and how he had taken to his studies this year. The glass of milk and the sandwich she had placed before him remained untouched as he scribbled away, occasionally referencing his notes or the book he was reporting on.

He had a thesaurus and dictionary before him so that he would expand his vocabulary.

Even Erin had commented to her mother that she had no idea what had gotten into her elder brother that year, and that his reputation at school was taking a total 180 from what it had been. He was eager to participate in class, was polite, and put his studies, rather than having a good time with his buddies, as his priority.

Mary reminded herself to place a larger donation on the collection plate this Sunday as perhaps the Lord did work miracles and had answered her prayers regarding her eldest.

"Daniel, aren't you going to eat your sandwich and drink your milk?" She inquired.

"Sure Ma, but first I want to get this portion of my report done while its in my head. I'm saving the snack as a reward for my good work" He replied without taking his eyes off his writing.

"Don't wait too long or the milk will go sour" She warned.

"Just another five minutes Ma, promise" Danny replied.

Not a minute later the back door open and a whirling dervish of 7-year-old energy named Jamison Reagan came bounding into the kitchen, his school day complete.

"Hi Mom" He called out as he tossed his book bag on the floor and ran to the refrigerator to grab his sandwich and the glass of milk that he knew awaited him, before setting both on the table opposite his elder brother.

"Hey Danny, what are you working on?" Jamie inquired.

"Book report Kid" Danny grunted out as he knew his period of peace and quiet had just ended. He completed the sentence he was writing and began to pack up his materials in order to move to the dining room table. He figured he had another hour until he'd have to vacate so that his mother could set it for dinner.

"Where are you going?" Jamie asked.

"Dining room, no offense, but I need a quiet area to work on this" Danny replied.

"Here, let me help you" Jamie offered.

"No thanks, got it all right here" Danny said as he lifted up the thesaurus and dictionary, along with the book he was reporting on.

"Hey, you forgot your report" Jamie noted.

"I'll be right back for it, don't touch" Danny warned.

"Hey, I can get it for you" Jamie offered.

"Just leave it, okay?" Danny pleaded.

"I'm a big boy, I can do it" Jamie said as he reached for it, knocking Danny's untouched glass of milk over and onto the entire report.

Danny heard the glass fall over and fear went through him. He rushed back into the kitchen to find Jamie standing next to his now completely ruined report, including the parts he had previously written.

"Jamie, I told you to leave it alone, didn't I?" Danny screamed, causing his baby brother to cry.

"Yes, but I just wanted to help you" Jamie pleaded.

"I don't want your help, ever. All you do is screw things up for me. Now I have to start all over again" Danny said as he leaned in to salvage what he could of his notes.

"Danny, don't talk that way to your brother" Mary scolded.

"Don't talk that way to him? Ma, you saw what happened. You heard me ask him to leave everything alone" Danny shot back.

"He was only trying to help" Mary countered.

"Why is it that you always take his side? Why is it that your little prince here can do no wrong, and I can do nothing right?" Danny half shouted.

"Don't you raise your voice to me Daniel Reagan" Mary warned.

In the interim, Jamie had picked up a towel to dry off the table, and in doing so, had pushed the milk forward directly into Danny's notes, finishing them off.

As Danny noticed what had happened, he dove towards the notes and placed his right arm between his brother and the papers. Not realizing his strength against the size of a seven-year-old, Danny threw his arm out sending Jamie crashing into the lower cabinet where upon he began to cry.

Mary immediately ran over to Jamie to check on him, before turning to Danny.

"Go to your room right now Daniel, I'll be up to deal with you later" She yelled, before returning to mollify a balling Jamison.

Half an hour later Danny's bedroom door opened and Mary entered carrying her big wooden hairbrush.

Danny saw this and stood up facing his mother.

"You aren't using that on me. I'm seventeen next week and those days are over" He stated.

"Not in this house they aren't, not if you are going to treat your baby brother the way you just did, and throwing him into the cabinet like that, you could have put him in the hospital".

"I did no such thing, I flung my arm against him to keep him from damaging my notes any further, and I begged him not to go near my stuff, but no, you just stood there and let him do it, just like you let him come in here and break my things, or take them without my permission, or any of the other dozen things that he does just to get your attention at my expense" Danny shouted back.

Mary ignored him and sat down on the bed. "Pants and drawers down, and get over my knee" She ordered.

"And if I don't"? He asked.

"Your grounded until the day you turn 18 and move out of this house. No television, no phone privileges, you'll spend every moment except for school, church, and family dinner right here in your room. House arrest" She stated.

"Okay Mom, you win, have at it, but just know that you're about to do something that will affect this family for many years to come" Danny warned.

"And what do you mean by that?" She asked as Danny laid across her lap.

"You'll find out and I guarantee that its worse than any punishment that you can give me" Danny smiled.

Two hours later Frank arrived home from a long day at the precinct where he was deputy commander.

On hearing what took place, he looked at his wife with utter disbelief. "You did what?" He shouted.

"You heard me, I'm tired of how he treats Jamie" She rebutted.

"How about how you always coddle Jamie at Danny's expense" Frank retorted.

"Jamie is only seven, Danny is seventeen next week".

Frank realized he had a big problem on his hands and now wasn't the time to deal with Mary while she was in a defensive mood. Deep down she knew that she screwed up but she would never admit it. And she wondered where Danny got his Irish pride from.

Frank walked upstairs and knocked on Danny's door. "Danny, it's Dad, can I come in son?" He inquired.

Having received no answer, Frank decided to play a card he knew would cause all of his sons to laugh. "NYPD, open up in the name of the law" He said in his best Irish brogue. Still nothing.

He opened the door to find Danny laying face down on his bed. He closed the door behind him and went over to his son. "Care to talk?" Frank asked.

"Not really" Danny replied.

"Danny" Frank began but Danny stopped him.

"I don't care anymore Dad, my only goal right now is to get through this year of school and I'm out of here" He stated.

"You won't be 18 when you graduate son so you may be here a little longer than you hoped" Frank stated.

"No I won't" Danny stated as he rolled onto his side. "You see, you're going to help me get around that".

"I don't understand" Frank replied.

"The day that I graduate high school I'm joining the Marines and you are going to sign a waiver permitting me to enlist at 17, rather than wait the additional five months until I hit 18" Danny informed his father.

"Danny, I can't do that and you know it" Frank stated.

"Sure you can Dad, because if you don't, then I'll just run away. Maybe you'll find me, maybe you won't, but I'm the one of your four kids that you don't want to play that game with because you know better, so I'm going to make you a deal. I'll finish high school and get the best grades that I can, and on my last day of school, you will sign whatever form the Marines require to grant your consent to my enlistment at age 17. Otherwise, I'm gone", and that means I could leave tonight, or tomorrow, or at any time in between and you can put the entire NYPD on my trail, and trust me, I know how to cover my tracks" Danny finished.

"I'll think about it Danny, but I won't have you giving me ultimatums" Frank warned.

"No ultimatums Dad, just a promise. I don't make threats and while we're on the subject" he said as he rolled onto his stomach and lowered his pajama bottoms so that Frank could see what Mary had done.

Frank couldn't believe that Mary could have beaten one of her children to such a degree as she had Danny.

"Yeah, nice isn't it?" I'll have pictures taken by a friend tomorrow before school, which by the way, I'll need you to call and tell them that I'll be out sick for a couple of days as I won't be able to sit in class. Maybe I'll head over to Pops and let him and grandma have a look, just so that I have witnesses but no matter what, if Mom ever lays a hand on me again, I'll report her, not to mention, I will defend myself so it's in your best interest to get me out of this house as soon as you can" Danny clearly stated.

At that moment, Frank saw an intensity in Danny's dark eyes he had never seen before and for the first time as a father, he was frightened by one of his children, not for himself for he knew he could handle Danny, but for Mary and for Jamie.

Danny saw recognition in his father's eyes and he gave him an evil smirk. "I think you understand me, now if you don't mind, I'd like to be left alone".

Frank got up and walked over to the door and gave his eldest son one last look before exiting, and at that moment, Frank recalled a statement Danny had made on the night Jamie was born and it all came together for him. He realized that Mary had awakened a very dangerous Danny and filled him with a terrible resolve that would cost them both their family. How and when that would happen remained to be seen but he now understood that they had lost their eldest and that the only solution available would be to sacrifice Danny to the Corps in order to preserve, or more likely salvage, what was left of their family.


	6. Chapter 6

Northbound Interstate 95

South of Havre De Grace, MD

31 AUG 2025

13:27 hours local

Joe could feel the pain and humiliation of that day radiating from his brother and he sympathized with him.

"Again, Mom was wrong but Jamie was just a 7-year-old kid who worshiped the ground you walked on and wanted to do something to help you and maybe, just maybe, earn your respect? Your love? Joe stated.

"I always loved him, I still do for Christ's sake, he's my baby brother" Danny replied.

"Then why take it out on him?" Joe asked.

"Because I knew that would hurt Mom more than anything else I could do and once she was dead, it wasn't the time to try to make things up with Jamie, it was too late, the damage was done, and by then, I just didn't care anymore, besides, I was out of the house when he was 7. It wasn't like how I grew up with you and Erin, to me Jamie was a late addition who just happened to share my last name and parents." Danny admitted.

"If that's how you really felt, I can understand why you have ignored him for 36 years" Joe stated.

"Yeah" Danny said half meaning it.

Joe decided that he better change subjects or he'd lose Danny.

"So, how did you manage to carry out your jail break that day?" He teased.

Danny smiled: "I spent a month setting that up, but first I had to get Dad to sign the waiver in order to enlist".

OUR LADY OF SCREAMING AGONY PAROCHIAL SCHOOL

SISTER MARY ELEPHANT MEMORIAL CAMPUS

BROOKLYN, NY

9 JUN 1990

12:01 hours local

Danny focused on the classroom clock, counting down the seconds until the minute hand reached 12:01 p.m. "Yabba Dubba Doo" he cried out as his final day as a high school student drew to a close.

Along with the other seniors in his class, he was free of this place until graduation ceremonies the following week.

He made his haste goodbyes and headed for the Six Five precinct in Brooklyn where his father was stationed.

Danny arrived an hour later and walked over to his father's desk.

"Dad" Danny bid by way of greeting.

"Danny, what are you doing here?" Frank inquired.

"Somewhere private we can talk, maybe one of the interrogation rooms?" Danny stated.

"You want to go into an interrogation room?" Frank inquired.

"Sure, I figure that I've been treated like a perp long enough at home, I may as well see what it's like to be grilled like one by one of New York City's finest" Danny replied as he led the way over to the row of "boxes".

Once the door was closed, Frank looked at his eldest son. "Okay Danny, what's going on?" He inquired.

"Today's the day of reckoning Dad" Danny said, noticing the confused look on his father's face.

"My last day of school, remember our conversation back in November?" Danny reminded Frank as he slid the enlistment waiver across the table along with a pen.

"Danny, as I told you, I can't agree to what you are asking of me" Frank stated.

"Sure you can Dad, because you don't have a choice. This isn't about you, it's about me, and what's best not only for me, but for the family, because if I stick around here another five months, it's going to be hell in Brooklyn, and then once I do turn 18, I'm enlisting anyway but the difference is, if I have to wait, it will be the longest five months of everyone's life and then, poof, none of you will ever see or hear from me again in this lifetime, capisce?" Danny concluded.

"You're putting me in a bind here Danny" Frank stated.

"You put yourself in that bind for the past 10 years when you failed to stand up for me. Face it Dad, Erin is your favorite, and Jamie is Mom's, and you both share Joe. Nobody but Pops has ever given a damn about me, so cut the concerned father and family man crap and signed the damned document or I promise you, that I will make life at home a living hell until you do. Save what you can of your precious family, but either way, I'm out" Danny seethed.

"I'll sign it, but first, sit down. I want to tell you what you're in for" Frank calmly replied.

"I know what I'm in for, I've heard enough of the stories and I have spent the past seven months studying up and interviewing Marines I have met along the way. I know that you never believe the crap the recruiter sells you and that don't volunteer for anything. Other than that, it's all about honor, duty, courage, and keeping my nose clean and maybe I'll live long enough to earn a few stripes along the way as opposed to a few years in Leavenworth. Other than that, I'd rather take a chance on dying in the service of my country than spending one night longer in Brooklyn than I have to" Danny stated.

"This will break your mother's heart" Frank stated before immediately wishing that he hadn't.

"Newsflash Dad, I don't really give a rat's ass if I hurt her feelings, because once I'm out of the house, I'll never speak to her again, and that's a promise, one Marine to another" Danny emphatically replied.

"Danny, you can't enlist with all this anger, you'll do something rash or foolish and get yourself in trouble, or worse, killed" Frank warned.

"No Dad, I'm counting on the Marine Corp harnessing this anger and teaching me how to effectively use it. It's my strongest asset. I'm not smart like Erin or Jamie, and I don't have Joe's charm or sensitivity. What I have is street smarts, guts, and anger and I am going to let the Corps remake me into the best damned angry grunt that it can, Ooh Rah!" He shouted. "Now sign the paper so that I can get out of here, I have plans to make".

Frank resigned himself that he had no choice and picked up the pen. Whether today or in five months, his son was now lost to him. Better to give in now with the hope some measure of relationship could be retained rather than to lose it all. He signed the waiver and handed it back to Danny. "I'll keep the pen as a souvenir of this day. I hope that I never have to look at it as the instrument that signed your death warrant son" He stated.

"Me too, and Dad, thank you" Danny said as he walked over and hugged his father for the first time in years.

"See you tonight at dinner" Danny stated as he walked out of the box and headed towards the exit.

Northbound Interstate 95

(The John F. Kennedy Memorial Hwy)

Passing through Childs, MD

31 AUG 2025

13:39 hours local

"You really rattled him" Joe noted.

"Yep, and he knew right then that I was a man of my word which I was. I kept in touch with everyone but Mom and Jamie" Danny replied.

"So you had everything planned for graduation day" Joe stated.

"Yep, the day before I called the school and told them to mail my diploma, that I would not be attending graduation. Back then, it wasn't mandatory to attend like it was for you or Jamie. Then I told Mom I was heading over to Mickey's to hang out and that I would shower and dress at his place and see everyone at the ceremony, but instead, I walked out the door and caught a cab to the bus terminal and by 8:30, I was on my way to South Carolina. By the time you all realized that I wasn't showing up, I was almost to North Carolina. I had Mickey give Dad the letter so that he would know that I had left and wouldn't worry that I was missing, figured that I owed him that much" Danny informed Joe.

"Didn't you worry that we'd come looking for you?" Joe asked.

"Nope, because Dad and I had our agreement and the letter Mickey gave him let him know that I was executing it" Danny answered.

"You should have seen Mom when he told her that he signed that waiver, she exploded" Joe informed Danny.

"Yeah, what was his response to her?" Danny inquired.

"That you left him no choice, and neither did she, that the way she had treated you, and humiliated you, he couldn't take the chance on you doing anything that may harm her or the rest of us" Joe answered.

"Made me out to look unstable huh?" Danny laughed.

"No, he made you out to look unwilling to take anymore abuse and he told her so, and that you were lost to us for good if he didn't sign that waiver. He never told her that you were lost to her no matter what he did" Joe replied.

"Didn't think he would. Must have gone to her grave wondering what she did to deserve my treating her that way" Danny posited.

"No, in the end she knew and it broke her, maybe that's what caused or exacerbated the cancer, but she knew and she grieved as deeply as if you had been killed in action" Joe calmly stated.

"She killed a part of me long before she died, so I guess one good turn deserves another" Danny fired back.

Danny's comment hung between the brothers like a wet fart during church and neither one spoke for the next 30 miles while an eerie silence enveloped Joe's car.


	7. Chapter 7

Eastbound I-278

The Staten Island Expressway

Ft. Wadsworth, Staten Island, NY

31 AUG 2025

16:39 hours local

As they made their way along I-95 through Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, the brothers discussed a variety of topics other than family.

They stopped to gas up the Jag and grab a hamburger before crossing from New Jersey into Staten Island.

After they had crossed the Goethals Bridge, Danny began to look around. He thought that maybe this would be a good part of New York City to settle down in as it seemed peaceful and afforded him some measure of privacy from the remainder of his family that lived in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Joe guided his Jaguar sedan onto the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.

Danny hadn't been back to New York City in 25 years and as he looked across the two-and-a-half-mile bridge towards the other side, conflicting feelings of home sickness and dread overcame him.

"I'd never thought that I'd ever be back in Brooklyn" He confessed.

"You can take the boy out of Brooklyn, but even the Corps can't take Brooklyn out of the Marine" Joe replied.

"How very wise of you, Master Yoda" Danny smirked.

Joe ignored him: "Like many parts of the city, you'll feel as if you never left, and other parts, it's a whole new town. Like Manhattan, Brooklyn is always reinventing itself"

"I always figured that with Erin being Dad's girl, and Jamie being Mom's boy, those two would stay in Brooklyn and you would be the one to live in the city, instead of the other way around" Danny opined.

"If Angie hadn't pumped out three kids in three years, that might have happened but like dogs, kids need a backyard and open spaces to play in and you don't get those while living in a high rise in Manhattan" Joe responded.

"Like you didn't have anything to do with her producing those kids?" Danny queried.

"I may have had a little something to do with it" Joe proudly smiled.

"From what I hear, a very little something" Danny zinged back.

"Anytime you want to put some money on the table Danny boy, we can drop trou and see which Reagan brother sports the bigger schlong" Joe offered.

"Nah, with my luck it would be Jamison and you both would never let me forget it" Danny grunted.

Joe exited the bridge onto eastbound I-278, the Gowanus Expressway. A mile later he exited onto the Ft. Hamilton Parkway, crossed back over the freeway and hooked a left onto southbound 7th Avenue before taking a right three blocks heading westbound on 82nd Street.

Danny realized where Joe was heading and began to fidget.

"Joe, we aren't going there, not yet" He stated with reference to his childhood home.

"Relax, we're heading to my house" Joe chuckled.

"You live near Dad?" Danny asked.

"82nd & Narrows" Joe replied. His front yard faces the house on the other side of Harbor View Terrace that shares its backyard with my place" Joe informed his brother. "Seriously, you didn't know?"

"You never told me and I always sent mail to your office" Danny offered.

Joe slowed down and pulled over to the curb two houses short of the intersection of 82nd & Narrows Ave. He picked up his cell phone and texted Angie. A minute late having received a response, he broke into a shit eating grin that had not gone unnoticed by his brother.

"I remember that look, what are you up to?" Danny demanded.

"Keep your shorts on Marine, we are going to have some fun" Joe grinned while staring at his house.

"Yeah, at whose expense?" Danny suspiciously inquired.

"My kids of course" Joe laughed. "Get out, we're hoofing it from here" he stated as he opened the driver's door and hauled his 6'5" frame out of the sleek sedan.

Danny sat there for a moment and shook his head remembering back to when he and Joe were kids.

As he got out of the car he turned towards his brother. "You do remember that nothing good ever came out of those pranks we pulled on Erin and Jamie, right?"

"Yeah, but now I'm the boss so nobody can ground me" Joe proudly stated.

"Except Angie" Danny reminded him.

"Angie doesn't ground, she spanks" Joe teased. "Besides, I get a free pass on this because she's in on it, in fact, it was her idea" Joe informed his brother.

"She has the kids in the northwest corner of the house so that they can't see us from either Narrows or 82nd" Joe continued as they crossed Narrows Ave and slinked westward until they reached the garage door of his house that faced south onto 82nd St.

Danny was able to catch a quick glimpse of the house en route. "Nice digs" He complimented.

"It's home" Joe replied. "Circumstances different, you know I'd rather live on the other side of the East River.

Joe pointed at the large metal bucket and wooden rolling pin that were sitting in the shrubs on the east side of the passenger door. "I believe those are for you".

"For what, I'm backing a cake?" Danny inquired.

"No, you are going to conduct an inspection of your niece and nephews, you still remember your days as Drill Sergeant, don't you?" Joe asked.

"First, it's Drill Instructor, and second, I've never even met them, I can't do that, it's cruel" Danny pleaded.

"Of course it is and sure you can, you're still a master torturer, just watch the F Bombs besides, I think Alexa's boyfriend is here, that's his car parked on Narrows" Joe grinned as he noticed Danny's eyes begin to squint as his trademark evil smirk begin to form and grow ever wider.

"In that case, I'd be delighted to reenact my days as a Staff Sergeant" Danny malevolently stated.

"Lead on Sergeant Major" Joe chuckled as he opened the unlocked passenger door.

Danny entered the garage and immediately noticed that the only other car present was Angie's SUV.

"Where's the Chevelle?" He asked.

"In Dad's garage where she's safe from your niece, but that's another story" Joe stated as he quietly inserted his key into door leading from the garage to the back hallway.

"You ready?" He asked Danny.

"What's the boyfriend's name?"

"William, but he likes to be called "Wills" like the prince" Joe guffawed.

"Willie sounds more appropriate to me" Danny grunted as he slipped in ahead of his brother, took a deep breath, and began to beat the inside of the bucket with the rolling pin.

Amidst the racket created he was creating, Danny began to bellow out his commands.

"TEN HUT! FALL IN FOR INSPECTION, ON THE DOUBLE!" He shouted as he continued banging the hell out of the bucket. "MOVE MOVE MOVE" He yelled as the sound of footsteps could be heard running to the kitchen.

"THIS ISN'T A WEEKEND SOCIAL LADIES, GET YOUR BUTTS IN GEAR, HUP TWO THREE FOUR!" Danny yelled.

Joe's daughter was the first to come tearing into the kitchen with her brothers and boyfriend hot on her heels but before she could process who was making all the racket, Danny called out.

"LINE UP IN FORMATION RECRUITS" which caused Frank, Joe, Alexa, and William to form a line from Danny's left to his right. Danny looked over Alexa's shoulder to see Angie doing everything she could not to burst out laughing. He gave her a curt nod of acknowledgement before turning back to the four recruits.

"STAND AT ATTENTION, YOU ARE MARINE RECRUITS, NOT HOLLWYOOD TRUST FUND BRATS!" He bellowed.

"Yes Sir" They replied.

He stood in front of his nephew Frank: "DO YOU SEE AN OFFICER INSIGNIA ON MY COLLAR?" He inquired.

"No Sir" Frank immediately replied as Danny turned his attention to his namesake and pointed to the stripes on his arm.

"WHAT DOES THREE UP AND FOUR DOWN MEAN?" He demanded.

"That you're the guy who calls the balls and strikes?" the younger Danny smirked causing everyone else to laugh.

"YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY DO YOU?" Danny inquired as he stared at his nephew while observing how much that he resembled himself at an earlier age.

"No Sir!" His nephew replied not quite hiding the laughter in his voice, drawing another round of his uncle's "ire".

Danny played along: "WHAT IS YOUR MAJOR MALFUNCTION NUMBNUTS, DIDN'T YOU GET ENOUGH ATTENTION FROM YOUR NANNY?" He bellowed?

"Sergeant Major" Joe interrupted.

"Yes Doctor Reagan?" Danny inquired without taking his eyes off his nephew.

"Recruit Daniel Reagan can't help himself Sergeant Major, he's a living copy of my elder brother, his uncle for whom he is named. A real thick headed putz who never listened to our parents, his teachers, the priest, a regular prankster, know it all, and general pain in the ass so don't be too hard on the boy, he comes by it honestly" Joe concluded, drawing a glare from his brother.

By now Angie was ready to split a gut and had to head to another room and put a pillow over her face so that the others couldn't hear her howling with laughter.

"Really now?" Danny replied to Joe. "Well, I can think of an outstanding way to shape him up and at the same time, rid him of all those bad habits" Danny said while coming nose to nose with his nephew. "We can start with six weeks of boot camp at Parris Island followed by 30 years in my beloved Marine Corps" He calmly stated.

Danny Jr's eyes went wide as he honestly believed that this was a possibility.

Danny walked forward and stared each person in the eyes before returning his attention to the group.

"YOU DO NOT SIR ME, I WORK FOR A LIVING. YOU WILL ADDRESS ME AS SERGEANT MAJOR, IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?"

"Yes Sergeant Major" They chorused.

Danny returned his attention to Frank. "You are named for a fine man, from a family of fine men who served their country and their city with distinction, honor, and courage".

"Yes Sergeant Major" Frank replied.

He then turned back to his namesake: "And you are named for a man who lost site of that family and the bonds that it gave him and he had wander for 35 years until your father showed him the way back. Don't make the same mistake that he did".

"Yes Sergeant Major" Danny Jr. replied.

Next he turned to his niece. If Frank Jr. resembled his grandfather, and Danny Jr. his uncle, then Alexa was a carbon copy of her beautiful mother with her Aunt Erin's finest features thrown in just to tweak the mixture. She was a natural beauty and it was going to be his job to keep the likes of "Wills" out of the proverbial cookie jar.

"You have all the beauty of your mother and your aunt and If it were up to me, I would lock you in the brig until you turned 40 in order to keep you from losing your youthful innocence" He gently stated before turning towards the true object of his ire.

"RECRUIT WILLIE" Danny shouted.

"William, or Wills" he stated as he offered his hand.

Danny looked at the offending appendage before exploding.

"ARE YOU TRYING TO TOUCH THE SENIOR ENLISTED MAN OF THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORP RECRUIT?"

"No Sir" William replied.

"THAT WOULD BE NO SERGEANT MAJOR" Danny reminded him.

"No, Sergeant Major" William responded.

"I HOPE TO GOD YOU AREN'T BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT MY TYPE. DO YOU KNOW WHAT MARINES DO WITH MEN WHO MISTREAT OR HURT OUR DAUGHTERS, OUR SISTERS, AND OUR NIECES RECRUIT? Danny yelled as he stuck his face inches from William's.

"No Sergeant Major" A visibly shaken William gulped.

"IF I WERE YOU I WOULD DO EVERYTHING IN MY EARTHLY POWER TO PREVENT FROM LEARNING THAT INFORMATION FIRST HAND, DO YOU READ ME RECRUIT" Danny inquired.

"Yes Sergeant Major" William replied.

It was clearly evident to a jovial Joe that Danny had rattled Willie but good.

"YOU ARE ALL A SORRY BUNCH OF RECRUITS THAT AT AN EARLIER POINT IN MY CAREER I WOULD HAVE ENJOYED SHAPING UP BUT FORTUNATELY FOR YOU, IHAVE RETIRED AND CAN NO LONGER BRING YOU UP TO THE STANDARDS OF MY BELOVED CORPS. THEREFORE, YOU WILL ALL REMAIN SORRY ASS CIVILIANS, HOWEVER, YOU ARE MY CIVILIANS AND I WILL KICK YOUR ASS THE MOMENT THAT ANY OF YOU GET OUT OF LINE, DO YOU UNDERSTAND" He concluded.

"Yes Sergeant Major" They replied.

"DISMISSED, FALL OUT" He ordered.

"Wow, that was intense Sergeant Major" Frank stated as he addressed his uncle.

Danny walked over and put his arms around his nephew. "Uncle Danny will do nicely" He smiled as he hugged the younger Reagan.

"So Uncle Danny, what was with the whole Marine routine?" Alexa asked as Danny gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Danny ratted out Angie: "From what I understand, it was your mom's idea"

"I wanted you to have an idea of the world your uncle has inhabited for the past 35 years, and the honorable man that it has made him. Look at his chest, those ribbons weren't just given out as souvenirs and party favors, he earned every one of them" She proudly stated.

Danny's left breast was covered with ribbons but nobody other than he knew what they represented and now wasn't the time to discuss them. Now was the time to become acquainted with his family.

Finally, his namesake walked over and hugged him. "Dad has told me so much about you, and that in so many ways I remind him of you".

"Hopefully only the good ways" Danny stated.

"Maybe after you've settled in you can tell us about what he was like as a kid" Danny asked.

"Oh, you don't you know it. I know where all the bodies are buried not just for your dad, but your aunt and other uncle as well" Danny grinned.

Joe walked over and put his arm around his son and his brother. "Don't forget bro, that we all have dirt on you too" He warned.

Joe addressed Frank as he began to hand over his car keys. "My car's on 82nd on the other side of Narrows. Please put her in the garage and bring in your uncle's bags that are in the back seat.

"I'll do it Dad" Alexa offered as she reached out to claim the keys for she relished any opportunity to drive one of her father's cool cars.

Joe pulled his hand back as if a panther were about to bite it off. "No way young lady".

Danny looked at his brother. "What's wrong, she drive like you?" He quipped.

"Her Aunt" Joe replied as he squinted his eyes at his daughter who gave him an equally bemused look.

Danny nodded in understanding: "Ah, got it".

"Yeah, and just like with Erin, I made the mistake of trusting her with the Chevelle and she wound up getting my baby towed and impounded for doing 98 on the Garden State in the same area that our dear sister pulled that stunt. Can you imagine the indignity she suffered, being impounded twice in the same lock up?" Joe asked.

"They locked Erin up?" A confused Danny asked.

"No you doofus, my Chevelle" Joe indignantly replied. "That's why she's in Dad's garage, to keep her away from this generation's incarnation of the Little Old Lady from Pasadena" He concluded while pointing at his daughter.

"I see you haven't changed at all where it concerns your car" Danny stated.

"Not one bit" Angie affirmed. "Danny, why don't you show your uncle to his room. Once Frank gets back with his bags, he can change into his civvies and be more comfortable and we can head out to dinner.

Danny nodded: "Thanks Angie, but if you don't mind, I have to make a call across the street and I think I'd like to do that while wearing the uniform one last time".

"Of course Danny, whenever you're ready, and thank you for the performance. It was epic!" She laughed before kissing Danny on the cheek.

"Happy to oblige" Danny grinned back.

"Want me to come with?" Joe asked.

Danny instantly turned serious. "No, this is something that I have to do myself"

"I'll give you a five-minute head start and then I'm heading over" Joe replied.

"Make it ten" Danny instructed as he headed out.

8070 Harbor View Terrace

Brooklyn, NY

31 AUG 2025

17:32 hours local

Danny walked up the front sidewalk and onto the porch. He faced the large wooden door and took a deep breath. "Suck it up Marine" he said to himself as he squared back his shoulders, lifted his left arm, and proceeded to knock hard three times.

About a minute later the door began to open whereupon Danny and Henry laid eyes on one another for the first time since Joe's wedding.

"My God, Danny!" Henry exclaimed as he opened his arms to his eldest grandchild.

"Hi Pops" Danny smiled back as he pulled the elder man to him.

"Let me look at you, wow, it looks like the Corps made you into one fine man" Henry stated.

"Thanks gramps, I knew that it would from all those stories you told me about your time in Korea" Danny replied.

"Well, just don't stand there Marine, come on in, the place hasn't changed much in 35 years" Henry said as he stepped aside to allow Danny the room to enter.

Danny stepped into the hallway to find Erin waiting for him. Her gentle smile and warm eyes already fixed on the battle scarred Marine.

"Danny"! She exclaimed as she walked over and enveloped him in a hug.

Danny hugged her back leaning his head on her shoulder.

"I missed you Sis" He confessed.

"I missed you too big brother" She said as tears of joy ran down her cheeks.

"Uncle Danny?" Nicky inquired.

Danny turned around to see a 28-year-old Nicky standing before him. He pointed at her. "This is the same 4-year-old flower girl from Joe's wedding?" He amazingly inquired.

"That's your niece" Erin proudly smiled.

"Come here" Danny invited as he opened his arms to his niece who fiercely hugged him back.

When Danny broke free he looked up to see his youngest brother standing against the wall.

"Guess I better go, I just wanted to welcome you back" Jamie stated.

Danny looked at the now 42 year old brother he had left behind almost 36 years earlier and all his shame and regret came to the surface.

"Please don't leave" Danny haltingly requested.

"Okay" Jamie cautiously stated as the back door opened and Joe slipped in to the kitchen.

"You alright?" Joe asked Danny.

"I think I am now" Danny smiled as he looked at Jamie. "I'm sorry Jamie, for everything. It wasn't your fault that Mom and I had our problems. Instead of facing her, it was easier for me to blame you and when that didn't work, to run off. By ignoring you during her lifetime, I knew that I was using you to hurt her and when she died, I didn't have the guts to face you and tell you the truth, and to try to make up for all those years, all that pain. I've been in more battles than I can count, and yet when it came to the one fight that I should have ended and moved on from, I turned yellow and chickened out, and for that I will always be ashamed" Danny stated.

Jamie looked at his eldest brother. Just the sight of Danny in his uniform brought forth a wealth of emotions.

"Seeing you after all this time, it's bringing up a lot of feelings and emotions that I've become pretty good at keeping under wraps. Sure, there's some anger, and hurt, and disappointment that we never had the bond that I have with Joe, or even that you share with him, but the overwhelming feeling that I have always held for you, is enormous pride. Just seeing you right now wearing your uniform, the ribbons denoting your courage and valor proudly displayed, especially the light blue one on top with the five white stars across it, I know what that is and it isn't just given out on a whim. The globe and anchor insignia on your shoulders, that only one enlisted Marine at a time is privileged to wear, the hash marks on your sleeve marking your years of service. Sure, I'm proud of Joe and Dad, and Erin as well, but you Danny, you are a bonafide warrior, a defender of all values that we as Americans hold dear, and even after all these years, the most important thing for you to know, is that you have always been my hero, and that I have always loved you. As for our past, we can leave that behind and I hope that we can build the relationship we missed out on, because you have a 12-year-old niece and a 10-year-old nephew who would really love having another uncle, especially as their other one is getting a bit ripe in the pranks and jokes department" Jamie stated.

"Hey" Joe called out in his defense.

"You were always second banana to Danny as a prankster" Erin chuckled.

"Danny never finished teaching him the art of it all" Jamie laughed.

"Just you two wait, you are now officially on my list!" Joe warned.

"That's okay, we have our own Marine to protect us" Erin said as she leaned into Danny's side and he put his arm protectively around her.

Danny continued to look at Jamie. "What are their names?" He inquired.

"Mary Elizabeth, and Conor Fitzgerald. I named my son after the two most important men in my life" Jamie smiled.

"We call him Fitz" Nicky informed her uncle.

"And your wife?" Danny inquired.

"Sydney, we met at Harvard" Jamie said.

"Then it seems that I have some additional family members to meet" Danny nodded.

"And prank" Erin stated.

"And terrorize" Joe threw in.

"Hey, what just happened with your kids was Angie's and your idea, not mine" Danny replied.

"What?" Erin and Jamie stated in unison.

Joe told them what had just transpired and that their kitchen security camera had captured it all.

"Okay, get the popcorn ready, I have got to see that tape" Erin gleefully stated.

"I want my kids to see it too!" Jamie laughed.

Danny shot Joe the evil eye. "I know so many ways to make you suffer, just you wait" He threatened.

Joe opened the refrigerator and took out a celery stick. He began to chew on it as he contemplated his response. "Bring it on bro, because I know so many ways to mess with your head".

"Seems like you four are becoming comfortable with one another" Frank stated as he entered the room.

Danny turned and saw his father for the first time in 25 years.

"Impressive" Frank stated as he looked at ribbons adorning Danny's chest.

"Dad" Danny replied.

"How about we talk privately in my study" Frank offered.

"After 25 years, it's probably time" Danny replied.

Danny looked at Joe who silently mouthed "Keep your cool and good luck".

Frank led Danny back to his study. On the wall to the left side of Frank's desk were duplicates of Jamie's diplomas from NYU and Harvard Law School, Joe's from NYU and the NYU School of Medicine, and Erin's from Columbia and Fordham Law School.

"Very nice" Danny noted Frank's pride in his sibling's accomplishments.

"About face Sergeant Major" Frank ordered.

Danny turned around and his jaw dropped in surprise as a 16x20 framed version of his official Marine Corps photograph stared back at him. A framed letter from the Commandant of the Marine Corps hung to its left, and his Medal of Honor hung in a frame to the right.

"Where did you get this?" Danny asked while pointing to the Medal of Honor.

"Your official portrait, taken the day you were appointed Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps" Frank proudly stated as he pointed at the distinct Globe and Anchor insignia in the middle of Danny's shoulder stripes.

Every other E-9 wore the insignia of either an exploding grenade that indicated a Master Gunnery Sergeant, or a five-pointed star indicating a Sergeant Major.

Once a Marine reaches the rank of E-7 (Gunnery Sergeant), he must choose which of two paths he will follow, either technical specialist, or administrative. Having chosen the former, Danny was a leader of men in the field, and had been subsequently promoted to Master Sergeant (E-8) and then Master Gunnery Sergeant (E-9). Had he elected the administrative route, he would have been a First Sergeant and then a Sergeant Major. As a technical specialist, Danny had no plans to work on the administrative side which is why he had been blindsided by his appointment as Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, a posting hereditarily assigned to a Sergeant Major, not a Master Gunnery Sergeant as it was the senior most enlisted administrative position in the Corps and dealt with all administrative matters relating to enlisted personnel, not to mention being the Commandant's senior most enlisted aide.

"I never expected to be given that honor, in fact, I don't think a Master Guns had been previously appointed as Sarge Major of the Corps" Danny stated.

"That's true" Frank noted "but as I was informed, you were an exceptional Marine. I remember the day in my interrogation room when you told me that you were counting on the Corps harnessing your anger and teaching you to use it in a positive way. It appears that the Marine Corps was highly successful".

"It was the right thing to do but I did it for the wrong reasons" Danny confessed.

"I know son, and I knew it at the time you left but I also knew that you would accomplish whatever you set your mind to and if that meant being the best enlisted man in the Corps, then I'd say my confidence in you was justly placed. As for how I came by these items, four years ago I attended a three day war games conference, more of a planning session, that included the directors of the usual alphabet agencies, the military brass, directors of city and state agencies, and my FDNY counterpart. We gamed different scenarios on how to respond to attacks on the City. At lunch on the first day, General Creswell, the Commandant of the Marine Corps sat next to me and we began talking, one grunt to another" Frank recalled.

The St. Regis Ballroom

The St. Regis Hotel

2 E. 55th Street

New York, NY

9 SEP 2021

13:05 hours local

"Mind if I sit down?" The Marine four star asked Frank.

Frank stood extended his hand. "Frank Reagan" he smiled.

"Warren Creswell" the General returned in greeting while shaking Frank's hand.

The two men seated themselves and perused the lunch menu before them.

"Well, if nothing else comes of this conference, at least I'll have had three days' worth of good chow" the General joked.

"Amen to that" Frank replied.

"You served?" Creswell inquired.

"Marines" Frank replied. "74-76"

"I joined up in '85 right out of college" Creswell stated.

"Where you from originally?" Frank asked.

"Quiet little town called Monroe, Louisiana. Never understood these big cities, all the noise, traffic, people forget their manners and how to be neighborly" Creswell reflected.

"We New Yorkers get a bad rap but most of the time, we'll give you the shirts off our backs if you need our help" Frank proudly replied.

"True, I've heard some stories about New York hospitality, in fact, my senior aide is from Brooklyn, just promoted him to Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps last week. Asked him if he wanted to join me on this trip but he respectfully declined in order to familiarize himself with his new duties".

"That's dedication" Frank stated as the hairs on his neck began tingling.

"Funny thing though, about 16 years ago this same grunt was one of my Gunnies in Afghanistan. Called him into my office to give him the unpleasant news that his mother had passed. Offered him a blank leave to go home for as much time as he needed to be with his family but he declined, said that he was where he needed to be and that there was nothing that he could do at home. When he declined to attend this conference I sorta got the feeling that if it were up to him he was never gonna set foot back on Yankee soil. One hell of a Marine's Marine though, earned himself a slew of medals including the big one. Shares your last name too so if you don't mind me asking, any chance that you are related to a Daniel Fitzgerald Reagan? Creswell queried.

Frank looked the general square in the eye and gave a deadpan reply: "I'd call it more of a sure bet as Sergeant Major Reagan is my eldest son, but you already knew that General".

8070 Harbor View Terrace

Brooklyn, NY

31 AUG 2025

17:48 hours local

Danny nodded. "He was right, I never intended to return, probably wouldn't have if Joe hadn't been there to pick me up as I walked out the Barracks gate".

Frank continued: "We met for dinner the following night and he let me read your service file. The glowing fitness reports, the commendations, awards, the Medal of Honor, Danny, why didn't you ever share any of this with me, or with Joe?"

"Because it wasn't important to me" Danny calmly replied thinking back to June 1990. "I didn't join the Marines to be a glory hound, I joined to get away from here and to remake myself into a person who wouldn't let my anger control me, and that's just what I did. Not one of those medals or commendations was the result of a careless or not well thought out action on my part. I was never careless and had no intention on just throwing my life away so you can now rest easy and know that what you signed that day was a waiver, not my death warrant" Danny answered.

Frank reached into his desk and produced the pen: "Still have it" He smiled. "Anyway, about a month later, I get this letter and a package from the Marine Corps delivered to me at my office. I opened it up and inside was your photograph and your Medal of Honor along with that letter from General Creswell" Frank stated while pointing to the wall.

"Dear Commissioner Reagan;

It was a pleasure having met you last month. Having done so makes it readily apparent from whom Sergeant Major Reagan inherited his honor, courage, and devotion to duty. I only wish that I could be of some help in brokering peace or at the least, a cessation of hostilities between Daniel and his family, however, he has requested that we not discuss the matter and as his immediate commanding officer I must respect his decision.

Enclosed are a couple of gifts from the United States Marine Corps. The first item is the official portrait taken of your son immediately subsequent to his promotion as Sergeant Major of the Corps. The second item is the Medal of Honor awarded then Gunnery Sergeant Reagan for heroism above and beyond the call while serving in Afghanistan in 2005, about the time he would have been home had he consented to my offer of bereavement leave. The G Sgt always refused to accept the actual MOH and only wears the uniform ribbon in order to comply with dress code. As his CO at the time it was presented, I appointed myself as its custodian for the day that he finally decided to accept it. As that day has so far failed arrive, I now pass that responsibility on to you in the hope that one day he will acknowledge that his service and his action that day had been deemed worthy of our nation's highest decoration for military valor, and take possession of what he so justly, and gallantly earned.

In the meantime, as one Marine to another, I will keep an eye on your son and ask that you to feel free to contact me anytime you feel the need.

My best wishes to you and your family, and may you all take just pride in Sergeant Major Reagan's exemplary service to our nation, and to our Corps.

With warmest Regards and a hearty Ooh Rah!

General Warren R. Creswell

Commandant"

"I had the portrait digitally copied, enlarged, and framed for home, and placed the original in a frame behind my desk. I also had the MOH framed and hung it here until the day you came to claim it" Frank informed Danny".

"For now, let's keep it here. It sort of balances out all those diplomas" Danny smirked though Frank could tell that for some reason, Danny felt inferior to his siblings.

"Don't sell yourself short son, most people can earn those diplomas, it just requires time and effort. By comparison, only a handful of people have earned not only the MOH, but many of the awards that decorate your uniform. By my standard, you're a PhD ten times over, and that takes more than time and effort, that requires courage and commitment in the face of overwhelming odds, including the likelihood of death" Frank stated.

Danny looked at the diplomas before once again turning to face his wall.

"I'd still rather see my nieces and nephews follow the path that my brothers and sister took as opposed to mine. I know that you served, and I wouldn't trade the last 35 years for a diploma, a suit, a blue uniform or even a gold shield as it made me into who I am and for that, I will always be grateful to the Corps, but this is not the road that someone should travel unless they are driven and committed to a higher purpose" Danny stated.

"As they should be" Frank acknowledged.

"So, where are you staying, you're welcome to your old room until you figure things out" Frank offered.

"No offense Dad, but I don't think that I could ever spend another night under this roof, too many bad memories I don't want to revisit. For the next couple of nights, I'll stay with Joe but tomorrow I am going to sit down and figure out where in the City I want to live. Not sure that I want to stay in Brooklyn, but maybe Manhattan, even Staten Island, it's kind of peaceful out there" Danny replied.

"Will you be attending our Sunday dinners?" Frank asked.

Danny nodded. "Wouldn't miss them Dad" Danny smiled.

"And Church"? Frank inquired.

"Let's not push it" Danny smirked. "Besides, I'm not sure God would want me in his House after all the killing I've done, the language I've used, and the way I've lived."

"I know that you know better Danny, but I respect your decision, and there is always a place for you beside us should you decide that you'd like to join the rest of us, and there will always be a place at the family table for you, and maybe one day, for that special someone" Frank offered.

"Yeah, that's an entirely different horse Dad and let's say that after all these years, I think I'm going to need some pointers from my brothers, and maybe some etiquette lessons from Erin and Angie, as they really don't teach that course in the Marines" Danny noted.

"Just don't date any of Nicky or Alexa's friends" Frank grinned.

"Copy that Commissioner" Danny replied. "I think I'll head back out and see what those three are up to, I never could trust them when they got together".

"Danny, one last item" Frank stated.

"I know Dad, but that's still something that I have to come to terms with in my own way, and in my own time" Danny responded.

"She always loved you" Frank softly advised.

"Part of me believes you but there's a part of me that still has my guard up, even after all this time. Trust me, I'm working on it" Danny stated as he turned and exited the study.

"ALL RIGHT YOU THREE MISCREATANTS, FORM UP, ON THE DOUBLE!" Danny yelled to his siblings, which caused Frank to lean back and laugh. The hunter was indeed, home from the hill.


	8. Chapter 8

8070 Harbor View Terrace

Brooklyn, NY

31 AUG 2025

18:05 hours local

While Danny was in Frank's study, Joe, Jamie and Erin held their own conference.

After determining that everything was fine between the eldest and youngest brother, Joe suggested that they take the entire family for dinner to welcome home Danny, and that the three siblings would split the bill.

Jamie called Sydney and informed her of his reunion with Danny, and the potential dinner plans. Sydney immediately agreed and would get the kids ready.

Joe and Erin picked out a place in Brooklyn and Sydney would meet everyone there.

When Danny came out of Frank's study bellowing in his best Drill Instructor's voice, his sister and brothers instantly snapped to attention and saluted him as he walked in the kitchen.

"And to think it took me 35 years in the Corps to finally earn the respect from you three that I deserved just for being the eldest" He stated as he returned the salute.

Erin informed Danny of their dinner plans which he readily agreed to.

"Sydney and the kids will meet us there" Jamie informed Danny which earned him a grin.

"You going to wear that monkey suit or do you want to change?" Joe casually inquired, earning Danny's stink eye glare.

"Leave it on, I want my kids to see their Uncle in uniform, I mean, when else will you ever wear it?" Jamie inquired.

"Probably never" Danny admitted as the idea of retiring his uniform saddened him.

"It's settled then, I'll notify the restaurant. Reagan, party of 14 plus our family mascot, a Jar Head Pit Bull" Joe calmly stated as he began dialing.

"Joe, knock it off" Jamie stated.

"Oh no baby brother, let him get it all out of his system because we Marines are both patient and sneaky and we live for dispensing payback" Danny replied while he leered at the middle brother.

"Hold that thought Danny" Joe said as he was connected to the restaurant receptionist.

Joe ended the call but pretended that he was still speaking. "That's right, 14 humans and one United States Marine, but as far as I know, he is house broken.. right, right, sure, he'd love that, especially if some meat is left on it, great we'll see you in 40 minutes, bye" Joe concluded the call.

"They have a large stew meat bone they are saving for you to gnaw on" He deadpanned.

"You do know where I plan to stick that bone, right?" Danny asked.

"As a medical professional, I will inform you that what you hypothetically propose is anatomically impossible" Joe replied.

"How about my boot, will that fit, hypothetically speaking that is?" Danny snarked.

"Okay you two, knock it off" Henry ordered. "And you, stop heckling your brother" He chastised Joe.

"Okay Pops" Joe replied.

"Save some of it for during dinner" Henry laughed as Jamie and Erin joined in.

"It's like they were never apart Francis" Henry stated as Frank walked in the room. He gave his father his patented no teeth smile and shook his head.

"What the hell Pop, it's been too quiet around her for the past 35 years. Good to have some noise again" Frank replied.

Joe called Angie: "Hun, how about you load everyone up in the Jag and meet us there, I'm going to take my brothers with me in the Chevelle. Thanks, love you too" He stated and hung up.

"Looks like Gramps and Pops are riding with us" Nicky stated.

"Actually, I'd like to ride with the boys if I may" Frank announced.

"Sure Dad" Joe replied.

"Good, I'll drive" Frank stated as he went to retrieve a set of keys that he kept in case he needed to move the car.

"Shotgun" Danny called surprising his brothers.

"Damn, stuck in the back of my own car" Joe replied.

"Yeah, right in the spot where I was conceived. Happy thoughts Joey" Danny grinned like a Cheshire cat, earning Joe's death glare.

Joe looked over at Jamie who shrugged his shoulders.

"What, he warned you that payback was a bitch" Jamie grinned.

"Always take a Marine at his word Joseph" Henry informed Joe.

"Because he will always keep it" Frank completed as he returned with the keys.

8070 Harbor View Terrace

Brooklyn, NY

31 AUG 2025

18:30 hours local

Frank started the Chevelle's massive 454 engine and let it idle for a minute before pulling out. Joe leaned back in the left rear seat as he let the rhythm of the engine pour through him like a lulling lover, it brought a peaceful smile to his face.

"I think Joe's about to have an orgasm" Jamie noted.

"That's okay, wouldn't be the first one to happen in that spot, right Dad?" Danny asked.

"Dammit Danny shut up about that, you're ruining my relationship with my car" Joe yelled back.

"Well, it is true" Frank grinned as he pulled out of the garage. "In fact, this car is responsible for not only Danny, but for Jamie as well.

"No way, tell me that you did not bang Mom in this car a second time" Joe wailed.

Frank looked at his middle son in the mirror. "No Joseph, but, your mother and I were supposed to have gone out for a special dinner that night, and it turned out to be the one time that this car wanted to be temperamental and would not start. I think she was jealous of your mother or knew that your mother didn't like all the attention I gave her, anyway, we wound up staying in as you, Danny, and Erin were sleeping over at your grandparent's that night.

"We had a bottle of Jameson's in the liquor cabinet and your mother, who rarely drank, went over and pulled the bottle out of the cabinet and we proceeded to get drunk. Jamison was conceived on a blanket in front of the fireplace" Frank proudly stated.

"Terrific, that's one spot where I won't be sitting Christmas Day" Jamie stated as his brothers laughed.

"So we have Jamie because Joe's baby wouldn't start" Danny summed up.

"Yep" Frank affirmed.

Danny patted the car's dash. "Nice going sweetheart".

"So, how about Erin and Joe?" Jamie asked.

"Traditional place" Frank answered

"No wonder they are both so boring" Danny noted.

"No sense of adventure" Jamie joined in.

"Hey, that's not true. I just spent 4 hours in the car with Danny, if that isn't a sense adventure, nothing is" Joe protested.

Frank pulled up to the restaurant and carefully parked the car.

Everyone got out and waited for the remainder of the family to arrive.

Danny put his arm around Jamie and leaned against the front fender "Hey Joe, maybe you can take a picture of Jamie and me with the car, you know, make a record of what she means to us" Danny joked while Jamie laughed.

"Hey Danny, how about you kiss my Irish ass, okay?" Joe retorted.

"Alright you three, enough. Like Pops said, save it for dinner so that everyone can enjoy." He laughed.


	9. Chapter 9

Ponte Vecchio Restaurant

Brooklyn NY

31 AUG 2025

16:58 hours local

Frank and the brothers watched as Erin parked her Mercedes S Class convertible behind the Chevelle before exiting along with Pops and Nicky.

"I've always loved this place" She exclaimed as she walked over to her brothers.

"Last time I was here was my 17th birthday" Danny recalled.

"This is where we planned to come the night of your high school graduation" Frank reminisced.

"A far cry from the dinner I had that night at Parris Island" Danny noted.

"If you wanted good chow, you should have joined the Navy" Henry quipped.

"That's a myth Pops, you only get the good stuff if you serve on a submarine or an aircraft carrier".

"Why's that?" Jamie inquired.

"Well, think about it" Danny stated. "On a Carrier, you have a huge galley and freezer so you have the storage space, the room to prepare the food, and a big crew to do it, plus, they have a lot of officers in addition to the Admiral commanding the Carrier Battle Group, so they want to be sure those guys eat well. On a submarine, you may be under the surface for 90 straight days in cramped quarters practically sleeping on top of one another so you gotta keep those guys from going stir crazy and the best way to do that is with good food".

"You ever serve aboard ship?" Joe asked.

"Sure did. I was a Staff Sergeant in command of a platoon of Marines. We serve as guards on navy vessels. We have our own ships for Marine amphibious operations, but to answer your questions, yes, I served on the U.S.S. Enterprise, CVN-65 in fact, I was aboard on September 11, 2001. We were on our way back to the Norfolk Naval Base from a six-month deployment in the Gulf when news of the attacks was received. The ship's Captain turned that 1,123-foot-long behemoth around on a dime and ordered all ahead flank, that's Navy-speak for pedal to the metal. That ship had eight nuclear reactors, two for each of the its four propeller shafts. The top speed of navy ships, especially the carriers is top secret though the Navy publicly claims 33.5 knots for the Big E as she was known, but the scuttlebutt aboard at the time was that she ran the entire trip back to the Gulf at 48 knots. I know that we left our protective screen of destroyers and our cruiser in our dust, took them a day and a half to catch up. Man, you ain't seen nothing until you look out over the stern of a big ship like that hauling ass, the wake it created looked like a miniature tsunami was chasing us" He smiled.

Right about then they noticed Angie pulling up in Joe's Jaguar. Once she had parked, Angie along with the twins and Willie got out and walked over.

Angie noticed the rapt looks on everyone's faces as they were arriving so when she got within earshot, she addressed Danny. "Are you telling war stories without me present Mister?" She sternly inquired

"Yes Ma'am" Danny admitted.

"That is so not fair, I've waited all day to hear some of those" She pouted.

"I saved the best ones for later" Danny grinned back.

"Okay, you're forgiven this time" She said as she playfully punched his arm.

"How about we go in and get seated, Syd and the kids won't be here for another fifteen minutes" Jamie stated after looking at his watch.

"You sure, I don't mind waiting" Danny said.

"How about you boys stay out here and catch up and we'll go let the receptionist know that we're here" Frank stated.

"Good idea Dad" Joe seconded as everyone but the eldest and youngest brother headed inside.

"Did you ever come close to dying?" Jamie cautiously asked.

"Are you sure that you want to know the answer to that one kid?" Danny asked.

"Yeah, because if you had, we never would have had the opportunity to clear the air and I would have lived the rest of my life not knowing why you wanted nothing to do with me" He answered.

Danny took a deep breath and pointed to a purple ribbon trimmed with gold edges. There were two oak leaf cluster attached.

"As you probably know, we wear the ribbons in lieu of the actual medals except when we're dressed in our Class A's. You get the Purple Heart awarded the first time you are injured in combat. You get an oak leaf cluster pinned each time thereafter. The two oak leaves means a total of three separate incidents. The first and last weren't too bad, but the second one, it was touch and go they said for about a week. I was in a coma so I don't remember too much. All I know is that they awarded me two medals for my actions that day, one was my second purple heart, and the other was this one" He said as he pointed to the light blue ribbon with the five white stars across it.

"The Medal of Honor" Jamie reverently replied.

"Yeah" Danny stated as he put his arm around Jamie. "Glad I made it back too" He stated as he pulled his brother to him.

"Looks like a hug fest to me, what do you think kids?" Sydney stated as she approached from their blind side.

Jamie turned to see his wife and children approaching and Danny saw a big grin form on his brother's face. "Hi honey, hey kids" Jamie said as he went over and kissed his wife and hugged his son and daughter before turning towards Danny.

"Sydney, Mary, Fitz, I'd like you to meet my big brother, Danny" Jamie stated.

Danny looked them over. Sydney was a beauty, no question that Jamie, like Joe, had outstanding taste in women. Mary bore a striking resemblance to her grandmother for whom she was named and he could see that she was her father's daughter. Fitz on the other hand had Sydney's dark, almost black eyes that radiated intelligence and mischief. He was his mother's son and Danny would bet, had her spunk. He surmised that where Jamie was reserved, Sydney was bold so they likely balanced one another out.

Danny was about to walk over to greet his sister-in-law and her children when he was stopped short by his nephew who came to attention and delivered a salute that any Marine would have been proud to receive. Danny had to hold back the smile forming on his lips as he snapped to attention, stared at the 10 year old, and executed a return salute.

"He's been practicing that all afternoon" Sydney proudly stated.

"He can serve in my beloved Corps whenever he is ready" Danny replied in his best Drill Instructor's voice, drawing a laugh from Jamie.

"You should have heard him at Dad's ordering Erin, Joe and me around, you would have thought Gunnery Sergeant Hartman was in the house" Jamie informed her.

Danny walked over and gave Sydney a kiss on the cheek which she returned. He then leaned down and gave his niece a hug and kiss, followed by a hug and firm handshake with his nephew.

"Dad said that my middle name is the same as yours" Fitz stated.

"Yes it is and I am honored to share it with you" Danny replied.

"Are you home for good Uncle Danny?" Mary asked.

"Yes sweetheart, I am, and you and your brother will be seeing a lot of me" He answered.

"Will you tell us stories about the Marines like Grandpa and Pops do?" Fitz asked.

"If your mother and father will allow me to" Danny answered.

"Mom, Dad, please?" Fitz pleaded as Jamie laughed.

"How about first, we go inside and have dinner. I'm sure that your Uncle Danny is starving after his long day coming home and after that, maybe one story. He has 35 years' worth of them and you aren't going to hear them all at once, he has to spread them out over time to keep you interested" She stated.

Fitz ran over and grabbed his Uncle's hand. "Come on Uncle Danny, the sooner we eat, the sooner you can tell me a story" He exuberantly stated as he began to pull Danny towards the entrance.

"Come to attention Marine" Danny ordered whereupon Fitz snapped to.

Danny looked his nephew in the eye. "First and foremost, a Marine is a gentleman. That means that at all times he minds his etiquette and always treats ladies, such as your mother and sister, with deference, courtesy, and respect. Therefore, you will hold the door open for them as they proceed you into the restaurant, do you read me private Reagan?

"Yes Sir" Fitz replied as he saluted.

"When I am in uniform, you will address me as Sergeant Major, not Sir. I am not an officer and by the grace of God and the United States Marine Corps, I will never be one" Danny stated as he returned the salute.

"Aye Aye Sergeant Major" Fitz stated as walked over to the door and held it open. "Ladies first please" He stated.

Sydney's mouth was hanging open as she watched how Danny handled her son. "I am impressed Sergeant Major, very well done" She grinned as she turned to Jamie. "Once Danny gets his own place, maybe we can leave Fitz with him for a week, or two, or until he's old enough to enlist? She pleaded.

"We'll talk about it" Jamie replied with a grin as he walked up to his brother. "Fitz has more of you than his middle name".

"Boot camp it is" He grinned as he slapped his brother on the shoulder and followed him inside.


	10. Chapter 10

Ponte Vecchio Restaurant

Brooklyn NY

31 AUG 2025

17:15 hours local

Jamie and Sydney walked into the private dinning room with their children and Danny in tow.

Three round tables each seating five diners had been loosely grouped together in a triangle.

As she approached Sydney couldn't help but comment: "I just witnessed the Sergeant Major give my son a lesson in chivalry and it was incredible" She joyfully exclaimed.

"Yeah, as soon as Marine Corps Recruit Depot Danny is set up, she wants to send Fitz for a week or two" Jamie laughed.

"More like until he's old enough to enlist" Sydney added drawing laughs from the other adults.

After hugs, kisses, and greetings were exchanged by all, Erin suggested the seating arrangements: "Let's keep the marines and the brothers together. Danny, as the guest of dishonor, you draw the center table" She teased. "Alexa, how about you, Wills, Fitz, and your brothers take the one to your Uncle's left and Nicky, Mary, and us three gals will take the one to the right" She concluded.

Once everyone was seated, Frank rose and held out his wine glass.

"Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking" Jamie began.

"As Teddy Roosevelt so wisely put it so many years ago" Erin followed.

"To me personally" Joe continued.

"Ingrates" Frank responded before continuing.

"In all seriousness, I would like to propose a toast, to my eldest son, my first born. Had you not departed Brooklyn in such haste 35 years ago, I would have bestowed upon you this ancient Gaelic blessing. 'May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind always be at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand'."

"We are all so fortunate that God did hold you in his palm, that he protected you, and that he blessed all here with your return. The day that I signed your waiver giving you my permission to join the Marines at age 17, you told me that maybe along the way you would earn a few stripes. I think that we are all in agreement that you earned every stripe that the Marine Corps can award one of its own, Sergeant Major Reagan.

You have honored this family with your service and by your accomplishments you have made each of us proud. And you have more than done your duty. Therefore, it is my wish for you that you find peace, happiness, and fulfillment in all the days to come. Semper Fidelis son."

"Semper Fidelis Sergeant Major Reagan" Everyone chorused.

"Semper Fidelis" Danny toasted back.

"Speech, Speech" Jamie and Joe cried out.

"Yeah, yeah, okay" Danny humored his brothers.

Danny stood up and looked around. "This morning, I took a final look around my quarters at Marine Barracks Washington D.C. and realized that my time in the Corps was at an end. I had spent two thirds of my life as a Marine, and two thirds of my life away from home. The thought hit me that while I will never be a man without a country, that I was about to become a man without a family. I couldn't have been more wrong. I want to thank Joe for picking me up and using our drive home to straighten me out, and to all of you, but most especially Jamie, for welcoming me back into our family. Finally, I want to thank my sister, and my brothers and sisters-in-law for giving me the best nieces and nephews that an old Marine could ask for, they make me feel young again" He concluded.

"Here Here" Frank stated followed by everyone else.

And with that, dinner was served where upon different conversations and stories were told.

Following dessert, Nicky and Mary pulled their chairs over and joined Wills and their cousins leaving Erin, Angie, and Sydney to their girl talk.

As the men discussed politics, the military, and the NYPD, one by one Frank, Henry, Joe, and Jamie looked over to see Erin, Angie, and Sydney huddled together in deep conversation, the occasional excited utterance or giggle erupting. Danny was oblivious to it so Henry let out a laugh drawing his eldest grandson's attention.

"What's funny gramps?" Danny inquired where upon Henry jerked his head to the left in the direction of the women's table. "See for yourself" He replied.

Danny looked over but nothing seemed out of place to him.

Frank chuckled next drawing the same inquiry so he replied: "You don't know what they're talking about, do you?" He asked.

"How can I know what they're talking about when I'm over here and they're over there, it's not like I can hear them." He responded.

This brought laughs from either side of him as his brothers looked over and got the picture their obtuse brother failed to notice.

"Okay you two, what's going on?" He heatedly asked.

"You really don't know what those hens are squawking about do you?" Joe inquired.

"If I did, I wouldn't be asking, now would I?" Danny retorted.

Jamie began busting a gut that drew Erin's attention. "What's so funny over there?" She demanded.

"Just some Marine humor" Henry replied temporarily satiating his granddaughter's curiosity.

"Will somebody tell me what's going on, please?" Danny begged.

Joe looked over at Jamie. "Let the golden boy tell you before he shits his pants laughing."

Danny looked at Jamie. "Well?" He exasperatedly asked.

"You really are clueless, aren't you?" Jamie asked.

"He's pathetic" Joe uttered.

"Enlighten me" Danny demanded.

"They are talking about you" Jamie giggled.

"What about me?" He asked.

"Who they can set you up with, what else?" Joe asked.

"Are you really that dense that you can't see that for yourself?" Henry laughed while Frank raised his eyebrows at his son.

"Erin and Sydney know a lot of single lawyers, judges, and politicians" Jamie noted.

"A judge is just a lawyer who knows a politician" Henry guffawed.

"Angie knows a lot of doctors, clinicians,….. nurses" He stated drawing the last word out.

"No way, nobody is setting me up, I have no intention of being…"

"Snared" Henry quipped.

"Domesticated" Frank giggled.

"Tamed" Jamie chuckled.

"Gelded" Joe deadpanned, earning a death glare from his brother and a chorus of laughs from the other three men.

This time it was Angie: "Okay, what is so funny and don't tell us it's Danny's war stories"

"Yeah, spill" Erin demanded.

"Oh, we're just discussing Danny's future, and what his plans may be" Joe replied.

"Or more accurately, what your plans for him may be" Jamie laughed.

"Danny likes being a wild stallion and has no wish for you three to fix him up. He knows that will only lead to his eventual gelding" Joe informed them.

"Will you shut up already about gelding" Danny demanded.

"Yeah Joe, give him a break. It's only natural that the Sergeant Major wants to keep his privates, first class and all" Henry chuckled where upon Frank lost it and began giggling so loud the waiter came in and asked him to please tone it down.

"Sorry" He chuckled.

Danny leaned his elbows onto the table and buried his face in his hands. "I wonder if I can reenlist" He said to himself.

"Nope, once you've achieved your rank, you can't go back. Your four years as SMMC are up and you're out" Frank informed him.

"Unless you want to re-up as an officer" Henry stated.

"I'd rather be gelded" Danny exclaimed.

"It just so happens I know the perfect woman for Danny" Angie informed them.

"I have a couple of women in mind as well. Single, successful, gorgeous!" Sydney exclaimed.

"While I wouldn't wish my brother on anyone, I am concerned that his remaining single and free to do as he pleases is going to lead to trouble" Erin began.

"What you mean to say is that the idea of Danny not being bossed around by a member of your sex really pisses you off" Joe corrected his sister.

"Joseph" Angie warned.

"That being said" Erin continued while giving Joe the stink eye, "I happen know a prosecutor who could more than keep him in line".

Joe and Jamie each put an arm around their brother.

"It isn't so bad Danny, you sorta kind of get used to it, after a few years" Jamie noted.

Joe shook his head: "We have to put this in terms that a grizzled marine can relate to. Think of it this way Dan, marriage is a lot like boot camp with three major differences. 1.) It never ends; 2.) You have the same Drill Instructor the entire time, and 3.) If you comply with her demands, she will on those very rare and special occasions, reward you with sex" Joe deadpanned drawing another chorus of laughs.

"I heard that Joseph Conor Reagan" Angie exclaimed.

"Good to know sweetums" Joe replied knowing that this time he had definitely stepped in it.

"I mean, look around this table" Jamie began.

"Yeah Dan, every one of us has taken the plunge" Joe followed

"One day it's going to be your turn and after a couple of good years, you'll find that you've landed in the same place as every other married guy, which is, how did they phrase it in the Corps Pops?" Frank inquired.

"In the thick of the shit" Henry laughed as Danny lowered his head and began banging his forehead on the table.


	11. Chapter 11

8068 Narrows Ave.

Brooklyn, NY

1 SEP 2025

7:04 hours local

Joe walked into the kitchen and headed straight for the refrigerator, failing to notice that he was not the room's only occupant.

"Hey Joe" Danny called out from the behind the table situated in the bay window.

A startled Joe jumped almost dropping the bottle of orange juice in his right hand.

"Jesus Mary and Joseph Danny, you almost gave me a heart attack" He replied.

Joe noticed that Danny was dressed in a Marine Corps t-shirt and had his laptop, pen, and a pad of paper positioned in front of him.

"How long have you been down here?" Joe inquired.

"Since Oh Five Hundred" Danny replied.

"You've been up since 5:00 a.m.? Joe incredulously asked.

"No, I've been awake since Oh Four Thirty. I showered, shaved, and made my bed first" Danny replied.

"You don't have to make your bed, we have a maid that does that" Joe informed his brother.

"Not for me she doesn't, I've made my own bed every morning since 17 June 1990 and I see no reason why I should not continue to do so. Let me tell you something I learned from my Drill Instructor. The first thing you do every day is to make your own bed. By doing so you have accomplished your first task of the day and have set the tone for the additional tasks you strive to complete and even if the rest of the day goes to hell and you accomplish nothing else, at least you have the gratification of having accomplished one task that day" Danny stated.

"And what task are you presently seeking to accomplish?" Joe pointed at the laptop and Danny's notes.

"Researching potential living quarters" Danny answered.

"It's called a house in the civilian world" Joe informed him.

"Tomato, Tomahto" Danny replied. "I also have to decide what kind of transportation I want to buy"

"Now that I can help you with after all, I am the family expert on cars" Joe proudly announced.

"Think you can find me a Humvee?" Danny asked.

"You aren't driving a Humvee in New York City you goof, besides, the gas mileage sucks as you well know" Joe replied.

"Maybe so, but it would look kick ass pulling up to a restaurant with the camo paint scheme and the whip antenna sticking up 10 feet in the air" Danny grinned before getting serious. "Nah, I was thinking about a Suburban, something big enough that I can haul my nieces and nephews around with me, or take them camping, show them what life is like outside of their rarefied city life".

"I took today off figuring you may want some help getting settled so whenever you're ready, we can go hit the dealerships and even check out a couple of open houses" Joe offered.

"Sounds perfect, how about we plan on leaving at ten hundred hours? Danny asked.

"If you mean ten O'clock, then sure" Joe replied. "About your bed, if I go drop a quarter on it, is it gonna bounce? Joe queried.

"It better" Danny answered.

Joe looked upwards at the ceiling as an evil grin appeared on his face, that Danny couldn't help but notice.

"No way Joe, I am not going to go wake up my nephews, have them make their beds, and perform an inspection of their rooms" Danny emphatically stated.

"Now why would you think that" Joe innocently asked. "Come on, it will do them good" He replied.

"Why? Danny inquired as Joe poured himself a glass of orange juice before walking over and sitting across from his brother.

"Because, they are spoiled and they should learn that there are certain things that they should do for themselves and not rely on the hired help to wipe their asses because they won't always be there to do it." Joe informed Danny.

Danny considered his brother's words and new there was more to this story. "Explain"

"Angie and I both have very successful practices so none of the kids have ever wanted for anything" Joe stated before Danny rang in.

"Okay, but neither did we, I mean, we went to private schools, were well fed, wore nice clothes though some of yours and Jamie's were hand me downs" Danny stated.

"I didn't have too many of those because you usually managed to ruin your clothes long before they were put away for me" Joe reminded him.

"Point taken" Danny nodded.

"We also did for ourselves and for each other, we looked out for one another and that's the big difference. My boys may have simultaneously gestated in the same womb and sucked from the same tits, but they aren't identical twins, they are two brothers who happened to have been born on the same day. Joe continued.

"I always meant to ask, who's the older one?" Danny inquired.

"Your namesake by 16 minutes. He made such a big deal coming out they had to give Angie time to recuperate before Frank could follow him down the rabbit hole" Joe answered.

"Big deal in what way?" Danny asked.

"Breach birth, he came into this world ass first which is why I named him after you, because there were a lot of times as kids that you came up with ideas that later in life led me to believe you were a medical miracle, a human being whose brains were actually up his ass instead of in his head" Joe replied.

Danny chuckled: "Yeah, I did have some bright ideas that backfired. I take it Frank had no such problem?"

"Danny popped out and whined his head off. Frank came out without a fuss and just looked at us stoically, like he was sizing us up, or wondering when we would stick a cork in his brother's mouth, which is why he's named for Dad".

Danny grinned: "And the point of this trip down memory lane?"

"Because my boys are two completely different people who have never had to depend on one another like we did and I'm afraid that once they begin life on their own, they'll grow further apart until the only thing that they have in common is their heritage and last name. They don't have the bond that we have, that sense of commitment to each other, and to their sister, that the four of us have for one another" Joe concluded.

"Worried that they will grow apart from each other, and from you too" Danny surmised.

"Yeah, not that I seem to have a lot in common with them. They aren't into going fishing or doing any of the stuff that we did. Frank's into playing lacrosse and Danny plays soccer. Other than that, everything they do involves computers of some nature. Hell, when I used to send them to their rooms I swear that they were grateful until Angie took away their electronics and made them read real books" Joe stated.

"How about Alexa?" Danny asked.

"Nah, she's Daddy's girl all the way" Joe beamed. "Sure, she'll grow up and move on, marry some twerp who I won't like, but she won't move away. That's why she went to Columbia, so that she can come home when she wants and check up on me".

"And what does Angie think about it?" Danny inquired.

"That our job is to prepare them for life and then to kick them out of the nest so that we have the remainder of our lives each other and speaking of nests, if you ever do get married, be sure to let your little blue bird of happiness pick and build the nest that she desires, otherwise that blue bird will tend to shit on your head" Joe cautioned.

Danny noticed that Joe had been more sarcastic than he remembered him to be. "Are you happy Joe?" He asked with concern.

"Of course I am, I love Angie and my kids, but I'm also a practical and realistic man" Joe defended.

"Jamie seems happy" Danny noted.

"He has that goofy grin all the time, and sure, they love one another and have two great kids though Fitz is turning into another Danny Reagan, both the elder and younger but don't kid yourself, Sydney wears the pants and Jamie's happy to let her. Consequence of being overindulged and dominated by a strong mother figure, which is why he has such a hero worship of you" Joe stated.

"Dad wasn't a strong enough role model?" Danny inquired.

"No, he was too busy climbing the NYPD ladder so he tacitly allowed mom to helicopter parent Jamie, even when it got to the point that he and Jamie both knew it that she had gone too far. By then you were gone and I was off at college. It was Mom and Erin who had the influence and control and the only strong male figure that Jamie had to focus on was his kick ass take no prisoners grunt of a brother" Joe informed him.

"So you surmised that his 11th grade history project on the Marine Corps…" Danny began.

"Was a cry for help, and by making you the centerpiece of the project, he was telling us whose help he wanted, needed" Joe finished.

"And I wouldn't respond to your pleas to come home" Danny shamefully noted.

"Jamie wanted you to teach him how to get mom off his back, how to stand up to her the way that you did" Joe remarked.

"From the day I first made Sergeant 29 years ago I raised, trained, and protected pimply face boys and turned them into United States Marines and yet I failed to protect my own baby brother" Danny softly admitted.

"I'm just telling you all of this so that you know how much we all still need you, but especially Jamie. Spend some time with him, give him some pointers in life, but most of all, listen to him, and offer to help where you can" Joe stated.

"You can count on it Joe, and by the way, what time do you think those two loafers upstairs plan to wake up?" Danny asked.

"Probably not until noon, why?" He inquired as Danny got up from the table.

"That's going to change right now and then they are going to get a lesson on what it means to be brothers" He firmly stated as he rose from the table and began to head towards the stairs.

"Ooh Rah" Joe smiled as he tagged along with gleeful anticipation as to how much fun this was going to be.


	12. Chapter 12

8070 Harbor View Terrace

Brooklyn, NY

2 SEP 2025

13:58 local

Sunday Dinner:

Danny parked his recently purchased two-year-old Chevrolet Suburban in front of his father's house. "Interesting" he thought, "That I'm still unable to think of this as my childhood home".

He exited and walked up the front walk, stepped onto the porch, and knocked on the front door.

Frank opened the door and told Danny to come in.

"Here" he said as he pressed something into Danny's hand.

Danny looked down to find a key.

"What's this for?" Danny asked.

"Key to the house, you used to have one, remember?" Frank asked. "Your brothers and sister each have their own. Now you don't have to knock, you can let yourself in, and by the way, family usually comes in through the kitchen."

"Not sure that I'm ready for this yet" Danny said as he looked at the key.

"Dan, I didn't ask you to move in, I just want you to know that you're welcome to come over anytime you want, and that you don't have to stand on formalities. This is as much your home as it is your siblings'." Frank stated.

"Got it, thanks" Danny stated.

Frank looked outside and saw the black Suburban: "Couldn't find a Humvee?" He teased.

"Trust me, I looked" Danny replied.

"Maybe you can get a camo paint job" Frank noted.

"Now that's the first good idea someone's come up with, thanks Dad" Danny grinned.

"I'm kidding, come on, everyone's already here" He said as he turned to head towards the dining room.

Danny was warmly greeted by his family and spent the time to shake hands and kiss cheeks.

"Saved your seat for you Dan" Frank noted.

Danny looked at the place immediately to his father's left. He hadn't sat in that chair in 35 years.

"Don't worry Dan, it won't bite and even if it did, it would likely break its teeth on your hard ass" Joe stated.

"Language, Joseph" Angie warned nodding towards Jamie's children.

"Sorry" Joe apologized.

"How do you put up with him?" Erin asked in reference to Joe.

"Trust me, there are some days I wonder the very same thing" Angie replied.

"It's my unique sense of humor combined with my very good looks!" Joe exclaimed.

"What a crock" Jamie chuckled.

"Language, Jamison" Sydney warned.

"Sorry" Jamie apologized.

Danny looked at his brothers and gave a closed lip smile. "Definitely have to find me a wife."

Erin, Henry, and Nicky walked in carrying the food. "How about we sit" Frank suggested.

Fitz began to pull out his chair when Danny stopped him. "Private Reagan" He addressed his nephew.

"Yes Sergeant Major" Fitz instantly responded.

"Remember what we discussed about how we treat ladies?" He asked.

"Yes Sergeant Major" Fitz answered.

"Then I will teach you something that I failed to teach your father. A gentleman always helps a lady, such as your mother and sister, be seated" and with that, Danny held Sydney's chair while she sat down, and he pushed her closer to the table.

"Now, you try with your sister" Danny ordered.

"Aye Aye Sergeant Major" Fitz answered before duplicating Danny's example with Mary.

"Outstanding job Private" Danny stated with a smile.

"When does boot camp begin?" Sydney inquired.

"We looked at a couple of places yesterday" Joe answered as he sat down.

"Danny, would you like to say Grace?" Frank asked.

"Sure Dad, I think I recall how" He replied where upon he led the family.

Once Grace was performed, food started being passed around the table.

"You know, I don't think that it's fair that Joe and Angie get Danny all to themselves. We'd like to have him stay with us for a few days." Sydney stated.

"I'd kind of like that as well" Erin announced.

"He knows that he's always welcome to spend as much time here as he wants" Frank stated.

"Yeah Danny, why don't you come stay with us in the city for a few days?" Jamie asked, spend some quality time with your niece and nephew, hang out with your favorite brother" He smiled.

"He already is" Joe informed Jamie.

"I have no favorite brothers, no favorite nephews, no favorite nieces, no favorite sisters-in-law. Danny stated.

"Yeah, but you have a favorite sister" Erin sweetly smiled.

"Cause you're his only sister" Joe and Jamie said in unison.

"And I am all the sister he will ever need" She replied.

"If we don't get the old grunt married off, you three can take turns visiting the VA to insure they changed his diaper that week" Joe quipped.

"Uncle Danny wears a diaper?" Fitz innocently asked.

"No Fitz, he does not but your Uncle Joe may soon be wearing a truss" Danny replied.

"Don't bother asking what that is son, I'll explain when you're older" Jamie grinned.

"So Nicky, when am I going to meet this mysterious boyfriend of yours" Danny asked.

"When he returns next week from London" Nicky proudly announced.

"What's in London? He asked.

"The London School of Economics, he's working on a doctorate in law and spent a semester there studying".

"We don't teach law here in the U.S.? Seems that I'm looking at four lawyers sitting across from me" Danny noted.

"It's a relatively new degree here compared to the U.K. that has awarded it for over 40 years and there are a couple of courses he felt would benefit his doctoral thesis" She answered.

"A PhD in law is primarily used in international business, it's designed to establish a global understanding of international contracts, patents, copyrights, corporate rights and obligations, and the application of international law to these" Jamie answered.

"Do either of you have this degree?" Danny asked.

"We both do" Sydney responded.

"Dr. Jamison Reagan?" Danny asked.

"Yep" Jamie answered.

"Wow, and did you both study abroad for this degree?" Danny asked.

"We enrolled at Columbia as it offers the doctoral program but we spent six months at the LSE. That gave us a European perspective that differs from how the American system works" Sydney answered.

"It's a great experience Dan, sort of like marines integrating with the units of other country's armed forces, see what their strategies and disciplines are" Jamie noted.

"We did a lot of that with our allies, it's called 'international exercises' but most people know them as 'war games'" Danny replied.

"That's basically what LSE is, it's a war games version of the law, so that we have a better understanding how the judicial systems of other countries operate and can best represent our clients in the international forum" Sydney stated.

Danny smiled. "War college for lawyers, now that I would like to see".

"Did you attend the Naval War College?" Jamie asked.

"I both attended and instructed" Danny responded.

"On what subject?" Henry inquired.

"I attended on military ethics, and I instructed on the Marine Raiders".

"You were a Raider?" Frank asked.

"Four years, by far my favorite duty" Danny fondly smiled.

"What's a Raider?" Angie asked.

"Marine Special Forces, our equivalent of the Navy SEALs, and yes, we trained with and worked with those guys and they are the best" Danny proudly announced.

"So how much of this big world have you seen" Erin inquired.

"Quite a lot actually, all seven seas, all of the western hemisphere, pretty much all of Europe, a few places in Africa, Australia, New Zeeland. About the only places I haven't been are the sub-continent and Asia except for South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan" He answered.

"Any favorites?" Nicky asked.

"Yes, the U. S. of A." Danny proudly exclaimed.

"Here Here" Henry cheered.

"Your uncle served on an aircraft carrier as well" Jamie informed Nicky.

"Really? And what was that like?" She asked her eldest uncle.

"Most of the time, boring, some of the time, interesting, and occasionally, exhilarating" He answered as he retold the story of September 11th.

"I had a lot of great experiences in the Marines, and some pretty bad ones too, but I have to say, that nothing gave me more of a sense of proportion and my own limitations as a human being, than watching that mighty warship perform not only so effortlessly, but with such grace and eloquence, now I'm no fan of the Navy but I have to admit, I became a convert that day regarding the love of ships and after that, I never permitted any Marine under me to badmouth them as was the Marine custom. Denigrate the Navy as an institution, you bet, insult its seamen, it's your duty as a Marine, but never in my presence shall you ever disparage those mighty Men of War" He concluded.

"Wow" Jamie said as he noticed the look on his brother's face.

"What?" Danny asked.

"You, how animated you were telling the story, it's like we were there with you" Sydney stated.

"Really?" Danny asked.

"Yeah" Frank nodded.

"It was beautiful" Nicky stated.

"Maybe I'll join the Navy" Fitz stated.

"Over my dead body" Henry, Frank, and Danny chorused as everyone rose and began clearing the table.

"About time you did some KP Marine" Erin teased as she and Danny did the dishes.

"I wanted to spend some quality time with my favorite sister" He teased back.

"You mean your only sister" She corrected.

"The only sister that I will ever need or want" He replied.

"How's your adjustment to civilian life coming along?" She asked.

"It's only been 2 full days, but so far so good. I still get up at Oh Four Thirty, I still use military terms, acronyms, and time, I still make my own bed even though Joe has a maid, and I still do my daily physical training each morning" He answered.

"4:30 a.m.? Shut the front door, this is the same Danny Reagan we couldn't get out of bed with a stick on Christmas morning, who every day one of us would have to drag out of bed so he wouldn't be late for school, and who tried to get out of going to church so that he could snore away until noon?" She exclaimed.

"Well, the Marine Corps frowns on sleeping in. I'll never forget my first wakeup call at Parris Island, Oh Four Thirty on the morning of June 17, 1990, the Drill Instructor walks in and starts beating a metal garbage can with a baseball bat as he screamed at us to get our hands off our you know what's and get our lazy asses out of his bed. I hadn't gotten more than 5 hours sleep but I was smart enough to shut up and move. From that day forward, the only time I wasn't up and moving at that hour is when I was in a hospital" He stated.

"Jamie told Joe and I about that. Did we really come that close to losing you?" She gently asked.

"Yeah, I had taken one round in the chest, and another in the back and both were within an inch of my heart. Somehow, they both missed or maybe it's because I had no heart, who knows. Maybe it's just because back then I was too mean or angry to die. The first time I was injured I had been in nine years, nothing major mind you. I had been in 25 years when this happened, and what's ironic, is that I was supposed to have been home for Mom's funeral that week, but I elected not to go so maybe that was her way of giving me another dose of her hairbrush for not showing up to pay my respects" Danny stated.

"We never knew, nobody ever notified us" Erin stated.

"The Marine Corps would only have contacted Joe and then only to notify him that I had been killed in action. Other than that, they were never to notify my family of anything, even when I was presented with the MOH" Danny informed her as he placed the last dish in the cupboard. "There, just like old times, all done".

Danny walked back into the den to find the family hanging around. Frank and Henry were in their customary seats in the sunroom.

Joe looked at Jamie and nodded where upon the brothers rose and joined Erin and Danny. "Come with us" Joe ordered as he led the way upstairs towards Danny's room.

"Joe, I'm not going in there" Danny stated as he saw where Joe was leading, but Erin and Jamie were behind him and were not going to allow him to back out.

"Improvise, Adapt, Overcome" Joe stated. "Now, are you going to execute your prime directive Marine, or are you going to chicken out?" Joe asked.

Nobody accused Danny of being a coward but Danny himself.

"Fine, I'll take a look" he grumbled.

Upstairs there were four bedrooms, two on the east side facing the front yard on Harbor View Terrace and two facing west towards the backyard and the East River. Erin's room was at the southwest corner of the house while Joe's was the next bedroom north. Jamie's bedroom was at the southeast corner while Danny's room was north of Jamie's. The Master bedroom occupied the north side of the second floor.

Joe opened the door to Danny's room while Erin and Jamie prodded him to walk inside. Danny looked around and was stunned. "I feel like I've stepped into a time machine" He stated.

The room was just as he had left it on the morning of June 16, 1990. His childhood posters still adorned the walls, his school books were still sitting on his desk, and his other personal effects that had not traveled with him to South Carolina, remained in place.

Danny slowly sat on the edge of his bed as so many thoughts flooded through is mind.

Jamie, Joe, and Erin stood outside and watched their brother absorb it all.

"This was the one place in the house where I was supposed to feel safe and she took that from me" Danny softly remarked. "This room became my prison cell".

"It's only a prison cell if you let it hold those memories" Joe gently replied. "Otherwise, it's just four walls, a floor, and a ceiling that contains furniture, clothing, books, and other things that you used during your time here".

"She can't hurt you anymore Danny" Erin tearfully stated.

"And even if she were alive, we wouldn't allow her to" Jamie made clear.

Danny looked around and he knew that Joe was right. "Maybe I should stay here a couple of days, exorcise my demons" He stated.

"And if you can't I'm only a block away and my door is always open to you" Joe replied.

"And my door as well" Erin informed him.

"As is mine" Jamie stated.

"You're never without the three of us Danny. We're your new Corps and we've got your back" Joe made clear.

Danny nodded in gratitude as he slowly rose from his bed.

It was time for him to finally let go of it all and the day was coming on which he planned to do just that. Now he had to figure out just how to go about it.


	13. Chapter 13

8070 Harbor View Terrace

Brooklyn, NY

6 SEP 2025

7:30 hours local

"Morning Pops" Danny greeted his grandfather.

"Morning to you too Danny" Henry replied. "Francis leave already?"

"About 10 minutes ago, said he had an early morning meeting with the Mayor".

"That ought to go over like a lead balloon" Henry quipped. "So, what's on your plate for today?"

"Planning my move" Danny said.

"What move?" Henry inquired.

"I found a place yesterday on Staten Island. Furnished apartment, I took a six month lease, give me some time to plan properly, and still have my own place" Danny noted.

"Your father's going to be disappointed you're leaving us" Henry said.

"You mean that you're going to disappointed" Danny corrected.

"True Dat" Henry laughed.

Danny had spent the previous four nights in his old room and was finally comfortable in the house and it gave him some quality time with the family member that he missed most after he left home, his grandfather. At 92 nobody knew how much longer Henry would be around and Danny wanted to spend some time catching up with the old coot and trading war stories and they had both thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

"When you moving in?" Henry asked.

"Tomorrow. I'm going to have to take a trip back to D.C. and get my things from my storage locker there, I'll see if Joe wants to head down with me".

"Be sure to ask Jamie as well so that he won't feel left out" Henry advised.

"Good idea, thanks for the save" Danny noted.

Danny called his brothers that evening and told them that he planned to head down to D.C. on the 8th, and would they like to join them. Joe replied that he had a weekly shift at Brooklyn General Hospital from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. but would be free thereafter. Unfortunately, Jamie was in depositions all week and couldn't break away.

Brooklyn General Hospital

Brooklyn, NY

8 SEP 2025

12:00 hours local

Danny walked into the hospital's emergency entrance and headed over to the duty nurse.

"Pardon me Ma'am, I'm looking for Dr. Joseph Reagan" He announced.

"Dr. Reagan is with a patient but when he finished, I would be happy to tell him that you are here to see him" She pleasantly replied.

"Thank you, I'm his brother and he's expecting me" Danny informed her.

She gave Danny a quizzical look before replying. "You must be Danny, the Marine" She smiled.

"Yes Ma'am, how did you know?" He asked.

"I know that Dr. Reagan only has two brothers and I've met Jamie, so that could only leave you" She replied.

"Well then, allow me to formally introduce myself. Danny Reagan" He stated offering his hand.

"Linda McRae, I mean O'Shea" she corrected herself before explaining. "My maiden name is O'Shea".

"So are you nurse McRae, or nurse O'Shea?" Danny teased.

"It's O'Shea again, my husband was killed four years ago and I decided to start fresh by taking my maiden name back" She explained.

"I'm sorry to hear that" Danny sympathized.

"Like you, it's what he signed up for" She stated.

"I'm sorry?" Danny asked.

"He was a marine. Killed in Action in Afghanistan"

This information hit Danny across the forehead like a brick. "Martin McRae, Marty?" Danny asked.

"Yes, you knew him?" She said.

Danny was visibly shaken and she noticed, so she led him over to the waiting area and seated him before taking the seat next to him.

"Marty was a Gunnery Sergeant under me until August 2021 when I was promoted and transferred to D.C." Danny explained.

"Marty was killed in September that year" She informed Danny.

Danny recalled the operation and had read the after-action reports. McRae had been assigned to lead a platoon conducting what should have been a routine night patrol in Kandahar when he was shot in the head by a sniper. He had been seated in the commander's seat of his Humvee. The HVAC system wasn't working so he had his bullet proof window rolled down. The round struck him just under the protective rim of his helmet and ricocheted into his brain. A truly lucky shot, a Golden BB as it was known in the military.

Just then another nurse appeared: "I'm sorry to interrupt nurse O'Shea but Dr. Klein requests your assistance in Trauma 3" she announced.

"Of course, and when he comes out of Trauma 1, please notify Dr. Reagan that his brother is here to see him" Linda stated.

Danny rose and shook her hand again. He looked into her warm blue eyes and noticed her gentle smile. "A pleasure to have met you, and again, I'm sorry for your loss" Danny stated.

"Thank you, and don't be a stranger" She smiled back as she patted him on the arm.

Half an hour later Joe came out wearing his scrubs. "Sorry about that, I had a stabbing victim that had the audacity to continue bleeding after I ordered him to stop".

"Guess your orders aren't immediately complied with like mine once were" Danny stated.

"You were always better than me at frightened others into doing what you wanted" Joe admitted. "Give me a few minutes to clean up, my shift just ended" He stated before heading off towards the doctor's lounge.

Ten minutes later a freshly showered and changed Joe walked out of the E.R. and pointed at the exit. "Let's roll bro"

As they headed out to Danny's Suburban, he asked Joe "You're a psychiatrist, so why do you do shifts in the E.R.?"

Joe leaned against the big black beast and put his hands in his pockets. "In medical school, I wanted to be a surgeon and I excelled at all the training, but when it came time to declare my field, I thought back to you, to Jamie, to our past, and I decided that whatever healing I could do for the body, it wasn't nearly what I could help do for the mind, hence my choice of practice, however, that doesn't mean that I don't value my surgical skills and the help I can provide others in need so, once or twice a week, time permitting, I put those skills to work and maybe along with a little bit of psychology, I make a bad situation better for a few people".

Danny nodded: "That's very noble, I'm proud of you Joe"

"Thanks Danny, that means a lot coming from you" He sincerely replied.

They hopped in the Suburban and began their trip to D.C.

"While I was waiting for you, I met a nurse" Danny began.

"Well, it's a hospital so there are bound to be a few of them lurking about" Joe replied.

"Smartass, I'm talking about Linda O'Shea, formerly McRae" Danny stated.

"I know her and about her husband. Don't think that bad thoughts didn't run through my head when I heard about his death".

"You mean impure thoughts? Joe, her husband had just been killed" Danny stated in astonishment.

"No you doofus, thoughts about you getting killed. Sheesh, the only menu that I ever think about, look at, or eat from is the one I am married to" Joe replied.

"You've never cheated, even thought about it?" Danny asked.

"No to both, though I have fantasized when a nice feminine backside has crossed my path but that's not nearly the same thing as acting on it".

"Think Jamie has?" Danny inquired.

"He wouldn't have the balls, and if he did, he wouldn't have any balls at all because Sydney would cut them off. He'd be the gelded Reagan instead of you" Joe chuckled.

"There's that word again" Danny grunted. "How about Dad?"

"I think Dad had many an opportunity, and maybe in his younger days when it was the bad old days of the NYPD he might have wanted to act on it, especially as his then partner Lenny was always dragging him into some cockamamie scheme or plan of his, but no, I don't think Dad got anything more than a chaste peck on the cheek from some woman he had just helped out.

"How about Pops?" Danny inquired.

"You are the most like Gramps of any male Reagan so ask yourself, would you cheat on your wife?" Joe posited.

"No" Danny firmly answered.

"Then neither did Pops, so where is this line of questioning headed?" Joe queried.

"Not sure" Danny admitted.

"You seem preoccupied brother" Joe noted.

"Something about nurse O'Shea" Danny answered.

"Oh? As Erin would say, spill" Joe ordered.

"As SMMC, one of my duties was to handle discipline of enlisted men. Not Court-Martials stuff, but rule infractions. The day Marty McRae was killed, I had received a report from his C.O. that he was suspected of having an affair with a female Gunnery Sergeant in the same unit. Now, while that isn't strictly forbidden as they shared the same rank, it is frowned upon because it can cause a breakdown in unit discipline and cohesion and that the Corps does frown upon. As such, it was referred to me to determine whether Marty needed a stern talking to, or not. Of course, once he was killed, the matter became moot. What I can say is that when I the Master Gunnery Sergeant of Marty's division prior to my transfer to D.C., I never heard any scuttlebutt that he was acting inappropriately, but as a Master Guns, it wouldn't have been brought to my attention, it would have gone to the division's Sergeant Major who would have informed me had he elected to bring one of my Gunnies up on charges" Danny answered.

"So what's bugging you?" Joe asked.

"If Marty was cheating on his wife, does she deserve to know about it?" Danny asked.

"First of all, there was no investigation to prove that he was so you have nothing credible to report. Second, assuming the allegation was true, what good would it serve Linda to know about it now, unless you have a collateral motive" Joe stated.

"Collateral motive? You sound like Erin or Jamie" Danny accused.

"Guess all that legal mumbo jumbo rubs off on you during Sunday dinners, however, do you have an ulterior motive?" Joe asked.

"No, why would I?" Danny shot back.

"Because, maybe you would like to get to know her better and as we were well taught at Our Lady of Screaming Agony, the sin of omission is equal to the sin of a lie, and by having this knowledge and not sharing it with the lovely nurse, you would begin any potential relationship with her based on a less than honest foundation" Joe posited.

Danny clenched his jaw and nodded before divulging his conversation with Linda O'Shea: "She told me 'don't be a stranger'."

"Then it would appear that she is interested as well. You know, I did do a pretty good job of selling you to her" Joe smiled.

"What?" Danny yelled.

"Angie, Erin, and Sydney are not the only matchmakers in the family, after all 'Brother Joseph knows who is best for his big brother'" Joe stated in his best Irish brogue.

"And just how did you sell me?" Danny asked.

"Trust me, as you are way past your "sell by" date it took a fair amount of work" Joe joked.

"Gee, thanks a lot" Danny quipped.

"About a year ago, she and I were taking a break in the lounge when Jamie came in to pick something up. After he left, she told me that he was cute. I told her that he was spoken for however, my older brother was single and where Jamie was a pretty boy, you were ruggedly handsome" Joe stated.

"Ruggedly handsome" Danny nodded with satisfaction.

"So, I lied, big deal, what's germane is that her interest was piqued so I told her about you, not so much the marine, but my brother. What you were like growing up, some of the shit you got me into, how we would torment Erin, you know, the fun stuff" Joe chuckled.

"Those were good times" Danny grinned.

"She said that next time you were in town she would like to meet you, hence the reason I had you pick me up at the hospital instead of the house" Joe admitted.

"So today was sort of an introductory set up" Danny asked.

"Yeah, and by the way, when I went back to get changed, she smiled and nodded affirmatively, so, if you're interested, she's interested, either way my work is done".

"How do I get in touch with her?" Danny asked.

"I'll text you when she's on duty. Either call her or just drop on in, just don't trip over your tongue, remember, this is just like any other battle. Set a strategy, make a plan, and execute and if that fails" Joe began.

"Improvise, Adapt, Overcome" Danny replied.

"That's the spirt big brother, now, head south old man" Joe stated as he reclined the passenger seat, closed his eyes, and nodded off to sleep.


	14. Chapter 14

Public Storage Facility

1230 S. Capitol St. SE

Washington D.C.

8 SEP 2025

16:55 hours local

Danny reached over and slapped his brother on the head, startling Joe, who jumped up from his sleep like a scalded cat.

"What"? Joe groggily asked.

"You snore louder than a busted chain saw" Danny replied.

Joe raised the seat back to its proper position as he looked around in an attempt to acclimate himself to his surroundings.

"Maybe that's because you broke my nose when I was nine and it was never reset properly, plus, I don't regularly find myself rising before the crack of dawn to work a six-hour shift in the E.R. I traded places with another doc so that I could make this trip with you and the thanks I get is a slap in the head?" He incredulously inquired.

"That was a love tap, you should see how our drill instructors smacked us around to get our attention, and you broke your nose by doing a face plant after tripping over your own big feet" Danny replied, as he made a took the South Capitol Street exit from Interstate 695.

"After you pushed me" Joe reminded him.

"I nudged you, not my fault you were uncoordinated, we're here, storage unit's up ahead" He pointed out as he pulled into the facility while Joe gave him a look of bewilderment.

He typed in his code which raised the gate and allowed the Suburban to pass through. Danny's unit was around the middle of the first row facing out so that it would be unlikely anyone would take a chance on breaking in to steal what he had in there.

He parked the big SUV and pressed the button electronically raising the rear hatch before shutting off the ignition.

Both Danny and Joe exited and walked up to the door. Danny looked to find the telltale device he had set into the keyhole of his lock was still in place which indicated that nobody had attempted to access the unit.

"Always a good idea to know if someone has invaded your secured perimeter" Danny explained.

"You really think someone could get past the fence and break in your locker?" Joe asked.

"First of all, anyone can get a unit here, doesn't mean that's where they are headed once they get in. Secondly, this is South East, the bad part of D.C. Washington Naval Yard is a few blocks away". He explained.

"Then why not get a unit in a better part of the District?" Joe inquired.

"Because of the crime rate, they are much more security conscious down here than in the nicer areas so I figured my stuff stood a better chance" Danny replied as he unlocked the lock and lifted the door, before turning on the light.

Joe entered and looked around. There were 8 boxes and a safe.

"This is it?" He asked his brother.

"When you moved around like I did, you didn't acquire a lot of personal belongings, I had to be able to pack and move this stuff within a day's notice. The Corp's doesn't allow you to schedule a mover, they tell you when some Marines will be by with a deuce and quarter to pick it up and it better be ready" Danny stated.

He knelt down by the safe. It required his thumb print, a key, and a combination to open. He took the key from a chain hanging around his neck and inserted it into the lock and turned it. This powered up both the scanner and the keypad. Next he flipped up scanner cover and pressed his thumb to it as a green led above lit along with the push button combination dial whereupon Danny pressed the necessary buttons and pushed down on the door handle before pulling the door open.

He got up and walked over to an empty box sitting across from the safe and nodded to Joe.

"You can start loading those other boxes as far forward in the back as you can but try to leave a slip of open space along one of the sides. We'll load the safe last" Danny ordered.

"What's in the safe, if you don't mind asking?" Joe inquired.

"Come here, I'll show you" Danny smiled as he took out several K-Bar fighting knives, two broken down Garand Rifles, an AK-47 with its magazine, three Colt .45 automatic pistols, several boxes of ammunition and a cleaning kit, and placed it all in the empty box. Finally, he reached onto the top shelf and pulled out a highly polished oak chest, not much bigger than a cigar humidor and set it on top of the safe. There were three drawers set into the chest. He took another key out of his pocket and unlocked it.

"Pull open the top drawer" He instructed Joe as he stepped back to give his brother access.

Joe walked over and pulled out the first drawer and what he saw filled him with both a sense of awe, and immense pride. "Your medals" He reverently noted.

"Next drawer" Danny ordered where upon Joe pulled the drawer out to find even more medals.

"Last one" Danny directed where upon Joe pulled the drawer to find the granddaddy of them all for sitting by itself in the middle of the velvet lined drawer, was -

"The Medal of Honor" Joe said in awe. "I thought Dad had this on his wall" He noted although the one on his father's wall had a big ribbon where this one only had a small fold of ribbon on top, like the other medals in the chest.

"He does" Danny answered.

"I don't understand?" Joe stated.

"Let's load everything up. I'll explain on the drive back" Danny replied.

As Joe loaded the boxes, Danny took out a small portable drill that was inside the safe and began to remove the bolts holding it to the floor. He then closed the door, locked it and removed the key before placing it back around his neck. Next, he lowered the safe onto its side before he retrieved what appeared to be a small hand operated forklift, placed the tines under the safe, and raised the safe which he wheeled over to the Suburban and with Joe's help, muscled it into the remaining cargo space. Danny then packed up the device and slid it inside before closing the rear hatch.

"Maybe it's a good thing the Kid couldn't make it, looks like we used every square inch in there" Joe noted.

Danny turned off the storage unit light, closed the door, and pocketed his lock.

The brothers got back into the Suburban with Joe behind the wheel as back to Brooklyn they headed.

30 miles north of D.C. was Elkridge, Maryland. Danny had been here a few times so he directed Joe to a restaurant named Daniel's on Washington Blvd. Joe parked the Suburban out front where they would be able to keep watch on it from their table against the window.

"I highly recommend the burgers here" Danny informed his brother.

After placing their orders, Danny leaned in across the booth towards Joe.

"Here's the story with the MOH" Danny began. "Henry Kissinger once said that America has no friends and no enemies, only interests. One thing that I learned in the Corps is that extends to people as individuals, forget nations, tribes, or any other organized association of human beings. Each person will tend to act according to what best benefits him or her at that moment in time. As a psychiatrist, I know that you have seen this first hand".

"I agree with you, but there are many instances where what benefits them is not reward, but survival" Joe countered.

"Again, I never said what the benefit was, I just stated that it existed, so, in September 2005 mom dies and my Division Commander, Brigadier General Warren Creswell, who was then a one star calls me into his office. I'm a Gunnery Sergeant so I hop to. Creswell offers me a blank pass to head home, spend as much time as I need with my family, I mean I've already put in 15 years with an unblemished and highly decorated record so he has some level of respect for me, but I deny the leave for reasons I'm sure you can understand".

"I understood, but at the time, I didn't accept or agree" Joe noted.

"Not asking that you did, only that you knew my reasons, so two nights later, when I would have been safe in Brooklyn, my platoon is sent out to back up a team of SEALs. I can't discuss the mission because it's still classified but suffice to say, I catch one round in the chest, one in the back, and still manage to pull two downed SEALs to the safety, get an RPG out of my Humvee, and take out the sniper's nest on a hill half a mile away before I pass out and crack my head open on a rock earning me a trip to Ramstein in Germany followed by four surgeries and 12 weeks in a bed at Bethesda" Danny stated before taking a bite of his burger. "Damned, these are delicious. Anyway, I later found out that the locals who furnished the intel flipped on us, hence my earlier statement about interests"

"We never knew you had been injured, let alone evacuated to the states" Joe stated.

"The only call you were going to get was if it was time to plant me at Arlington" Danny bluntly informed Joe. "Anyway, by February 2006 I'm cleared back to active duty so I head by to Afghanistan and report to Creswell that his favorite idiot of a marine has returned. First thing out of his mouth is "next time I offer you leave you dumbass, you will take it or I will rip off your head and shit down your neck, do you read me you lucky ass son of a bitch" Danny laughed.

"Marine-speak for 'am I glad you're alive', right?" Joe asked.

"Exactly. You know how cops like Dad and Pops have a Rabbi who grooms their careers, helps them advance up the chain?" Danny asked.

Joe nodded.

"Creswell turned out to be my Rabbi. He took a liking to me and pulled strings to get me posted with him wherever he went. When he became Commandant of the Corps in March 2021, the first thing that he did was order that I be appointed the next SMMC when the then current holder's term ended that August, anyway, word got back to me that after I was evac'ed to Bethesda, Creswell caught a military hop and came to check on me. Stayed for two days, most of it in a chair beside my bed. Scuttlebutt was that once he headed back to Afghanistan, he ordered that he be provided a report every 12 hours as to my condition, treatment, and prognosis" Danny stated as he swirled is fries in a pool of ketchup.

"So, the MOH?" Joe asked.

"Right, that albatross. Okay, so I get back and after Creswell hands me my ass, he tells me that I've been put up for another Purple Heart, which I'm okay with, I mean, I did take two rounds and spend five months in the shit, so I nodded. Then he tells me that I have also been recommended for the MOH, so I asked for permission to speak freely."

U.S. Marine Corps Camp Leatherneck

Helmand Province

17 FEB 2006

14:04 hours local

"Permission granted Gunny" Creswell replied.

"General, I do not believe that my actions warrant special recognition, I was only doing my duty as I was trained to do, nothing heroic, nothing special, Sir." Danny stated.

"Well, unfortunately for you there are a couple of light Colonels, two full birds, a full bird squid, a two-star squid, a three-star grunt, the Commandant, the CNO, The JCS, Sec Nav, Sec Def and just to make it a Baker's Dozen, little old me, who think differently than you on this matter Gunnery Sergeant, so, to whose wisdom shall we defer, yours, or ours?" Creswell inquired.

Daniel's Restaurant

5854 Washington Blvd.

Elkridge, MD

8 SEP 2025

18:17 hours local

"So, I was presented the MOH. Had to fly back to D.C., put on my Class A's, all the other medals, blah blah, have 'W' place it around my neck, the whole nine yards. The only thing I requested that was granted, was that it be a private ceremony and no press or public photos. I have copies of me with Bush taken by the White House photographer that I'll show you later".

"I thought Congress gives it out, isn't it the Congressional Medal of Honor?" Joe asked as he wolfed down a few crispy fries.

"No, first of all, it's called the Medal of Honor. Second, Congress awards it, but the President presents it in the name of Congress in his capacity as Commander in Chief" Danny informed Joe.

"Got it, so if you accepted the medal, but why two?" Joe asked.

"Because there was no way I was going to wear it, it's on a powder blue ribbon that you hang around your neck with your Class A's and every one, and I mean including the Commandant of the Marine Corps has to salute you when you wear it, and that isn't what I signed up for, made me feel like I was a damned officer, so I gave it to Creswell after the ceremony and told him to keep it, but he reminded me that there would be occasions that I may have to wear it to formal events, and that if I didn't, I'd be out of uniform so we agreed he would procure me the medal you saw earlier that I could wear with the other ones pinned to my jacket, and if I was lucky, it wouldn't stick out. I had no choice but to wear the ribbon but again, nobody has to salute the ribbon, only the medal, so that's why there are two. As far as I know, I may be the only exception where someone has both authorized versions of it".

"Why do you always have to make a mountain into a mole hill?" Joe inquired.

Danny shrugged his shoulders. "Guess it's how I'm wired".

They finished their meal after which Danny paid.

"Come on, let's go fill the tank and head back. You drive the first half and then I'll take over" Danny said as he climbed into the passenger seat and closed his eyes.

Joe started up the engine and pulled out.

Five minutes later they were back on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and headed to Brooklyn.

Four hours after that they pulled into Joe's drive. He pulled out his cell phone and entered a code that raised the door on the garage bay that normally held the Jaguar. "Jag's at the hospital, so park inside. You can drop me off to get it in the morning after we unload this stuff at your new place" Joe remarked.

"Sounds good, I don't think I could drive another mile tonight. I'll walk over to Dad's and stay there" Danny said.

"Like hell you will, you're staying here. Mi casa su casa bro" Joe replied.

"You're a fine brother, you know that?" Danny asked.

"It's only taken you how many years to figure that out?" Joe grinned.

The weary brothers entered the house to find Angie waiting up for them. "You two look exhausted, Danny, your bed is already turned down for you so upstairs you go" She stated as she gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Thank you Angie, for once I'm not going to argue" He stated as he headed upstairs.

"Make a note of the date and time" Joe quipped.

"How did it go?" Angie asked.

"He's a man of many secrets and a boatload of pride" Joe answered.

"And how about Linda?" Angie inquired.

"Well, now that you ask, let's head upstairs and I will tell you all about it" Joe said as he grabbed his wife's ass and squeezed.


	15. Chapter 15

Law Offices of Stone-Cutter

3 World Trade Center

63rd Floor

New York, NY

11 SEP 2025

9:30 hours local

Danny stepped off the elevator and walked over to the reception desk.

The receptionist looked up: "May I help you?" She inquired.

"Yes, is Jamison Reagan available?" He inquired

"Do you have an appointment?" She asked.

"No, I don't. Please tell him that it's his brother" Danny cryptically stated, not revealing which brother.

Danny turned to look at the firm's directory that was mounted on wall behind the receptionist.

STONE – CUTTER, PLLC.

Michael R. Cutter, J.D.

Peter B. Stone, J.D.

Sydney L. Davenport, J.D., MBA, PhD.

Jamison C. Reagan, J.D., MBA, LLM, PhD.

Below that were the names of other attorneys, most likely the associates. Danny did however notice where Jamie fell in the pecking order in relation to his wife. "Just like Joe surmised" Danny thought to himself.

As he turned around to address the receptionist he noticed Sydney walking past.

"Hi Syd" Danny waived.

"Danny!" She exclaimed and quickly walked over to him "What a surprise!"

"Thought I'd drop in, check out your home away from home" He replied.

Sydney turned to the receptionist. "This is Jamie's brother"

"Doesn't look like the brother I've met" She replied.

"That's because he's been away for the past 35 years" Sydney informed her.

"Really?" The receptionist stated in a slightly distasteful tone.

"Not that way silly, Danny just retired as the senior enlisted Marine" Sydney corrected her.

"Well in that case, thank you for your service Sergeant Major" She stated.

"Thank you, I see that you know your ranks" Danny replied.

"My brother is a Staff Sergeant currently serving" She replied.

"Where is he based?" Danny inquired.

"Marine Barracks D.C." She answered. "Staff Sergeant Robert Wilson Jr." She informed Danny.

"I know Staff Sergeant Wilson well. Please give him my regards" Danny said as Sydney began pulling Danny away.

"You really know her brother?" Sydney asked.

Danny chuckled. "Oh, I sure do. Ask Joe to tell you about when he picked me up at the Barracks. Her brother was the gate guard at the time".

"I have a feeling it will be an interesting story" She grinned.

"Count on it" Danny replied as they approached Jamie's corner office.

Sydney knocked on the door and opened it to find Jamie at his desk.

"Look who I found lurking about reception?" She stated.

"Danny!" Jamie exclaimed as he came out from behind his desk and hugged his big brother.

Danny looked around. "Wow, this is some office" He stated.

"I'll leave you two to catch up, but I expect you at our place for dinner one night this week, the kids miss you and Fitz is dying to hear another story" She grinned.

"I'll do that, I promise" Danny stated.

"Figure out when and let one of us know" She ordered as she backed out and closed the door behind her.

"Force of nature that one" Danny stated causing his brother to laugh.

"You have no idea" Jamie replied. "She'd make an outstanding drill sergeant"

"Of that I have no doubt" Danny replied as he lowered himself into the chair across from his brother.

"So what brings you by?" Jamie inquired.

"I wanted to see where you worked, what it was like. I saw the letterhead, you sure do have a lot of degrees" Danny observed.

Yeah, I'm the firm's specialist on financial matters. I have a master's in both business and tax law, an MBA in finance, and the PhD in international law.

"Did you and Syd start here at the same time?" Danny asked.

"Yep. We both cut our teeth for a few years with the DA's office as that's the only way newly minted attorneys are going to get any trial experience. Otherwise in a firm like this, it may be years before you get the chance to litigate a matter and as promotions, salaries, bonuses, and partnerships are based on what you bring in, you have to either have a list of wealthy clients or be a damned good litigator to move up the chain" He concluded.

"And are you a good litigator" Danny asked.

"I'd like to think that I am" Jamie replied.

"I'm sure that you are or you wouldn't be sitting in this office" Danny said with pride.

"Michael and Peter both worked with Erin, in fact, they tried to get her to come with them when they left the DA's office, but she and Harvey Specter go way back and he's been trying to get her to jump ship for years, so she finally did. Offered us the opportunity to come with her, but we felt it was probably smarter to forge our own path so when Mike and Peter extended their offer to us, we jumped at it" Jamie informed his brother.

Danny looked around the office until he spotted his photograph. Jamie noticed. "There have been many days when I felt that I was up against a wall and walking over and looking at you gave me the fortitude to push on" Jamie informed him.

"Can I ask you a question Kid?" Danny asked.

"Of course" Jamie replied.

"Are you happy?"

"The term 'happy' is a relative term Danny. It can mean excited, exuberant, satisfied, content" Jamie answered.

"I mean, happy, as in fulfilled" Danny inquired.

Jamie pondered the question.

"I asked Joe the same thing, just call it my big brother curiosity" Danny explained.

"I love my wife, and I adore my kids. I like what I do and I enjoy working here. Is this the life that I had once envisioned for myself? No" He answered.

"Please explain" Danny stated.

"Okay but let me ask you a question first. If you had not enlisted in the Corps, had you remained home, what would you have done for a living?" He inquired.

"That's easy, I would have applied to the academy and become a cop. Followed in Dad's and Pop's footsteps though after September 11th, I would have likely enlisted and done a tour in the Corps like they did" He answered.

"Exactly. Remember when we were kids, you would always say how you were going to be the next generation of Reagan to be a cop, and Joe would say he would follow you and I said.."

"That you would follow Joe" Danny concluded.

"Erin of course had no desire to be a cop, though she probably would have made a great detective, I mean, she's got a stink eye on her that's second to none and that includes yours" Jamie laughed.

"Yeah, she'd be scaring the crap out of perps with that look" Danny laughed back.

"Mom never wanted Joe or me to be cops. She figured it was a given with you and wouldn't fight Dad on it, but Joe and I were off limits. Think about it, if you had become a cop, then Joe and I would have as well and who knows, maybe by now one of us would have been killed or seriously wounded, so by going into the Marine Corps, you may have saved one or both of us" Jamie concluded.

"I never thought of it that way" Danny stated.

"If you hadn't enlisted, Joe and I wouldn't be who we are today, and who knows, we may not have married our wives. Personally, I don't think Sydney would have married a cop, even if I had gone to law school first. It's all a crap shoot Dan, so am I happy? Again, it's all relative. Why, are you happy?" Jamie asked.

"I miss the Marines, the Corps gave me a purpose. Now I feel as if I'm just another ship adrift" He honestly answered.

"Then find yourself something that interests you, and this time, do it because you love it going in, not because you learn to. You adapted to the Marine Corps, you learned to love the Corps, it didn't start out that way. Find something that you can apply your experience and knowledge to that gives you a sense of no only, purpose, but pleasure. Hell, you're a Medal of Honor recipient, you can probably work at any military support unit or with any group you want or use our connections to start a fund or program that benefits retired or disabled service men and women, or become a motivational speaker, you've got the drive and the brains, and you know that we'll all help in any way we can" Jamie concluded.

"How could I ever have been so foolish to have ever wanted you not to be in my life" Danny asked.

"Because that wasn't you Danny, not the brother I knew and loved and I have no ill will towards you" Jamie replied. "Anyway, I have to get back to this file, but let's set that dinner up soon or Syd will have both of our asses" He grinned.

Danny pulled Jamie to him in a bear hug. "Thank you, little brother, you've made things so much clearer for me" He said.

"Always glad to help big brother" Jamie replied as he walked over to the door to let Danny out.

"Don't forget to let me know" Jamie warned.

"Aye Aye Dr. Reagan" Danny quipped as he walked out.

Law Offices of Specter – Litt – Reagan

One Byrant Park

50th Floor

New York, NY

11 SEP 2025

10:50 hours local

Harvey Specter had his nose in a file as he headed into his law partner's office. "Erin, do you have the Champion Chemicals file, I can't seem to" He stopped as he looked up and saw Erin sitting on her couch with a man he didn't recognize. "I'm sorry, I didn't know that you had a client, I'll come back" He stated.

"That's okay he isn't a client, he's my brother" Erin smiled as she and Danny both rose.

Harvey gave Erin a quizzical look as he knew Jamie and had met Joe, and then it dawned on him that on the credenza behind her desk Erin proudly displayed a photograph of a U.S. Marine and when he had asked who it was she informed him it was her older brother.

"Of course, the marine" Harvey stated.

"Harvey Specter, and thank you for your service" he stated in introduction. "Danny Reagan, you're welcome" he replied as they shook hands.

"You have one hell of a smart sister, took me years to poach her from the DA's office.

"She always was the smart one" Danny proudly stated.

"Harvey and I worked together as prosecutors before he jumped ship and came over here".

Just as they began to engage in conversation, the sound of someone barking orders and berating others could clearly be heard throughout the office.

Danny's training instantly kicked in as he stood up and looked at his sister. "You employ a drill instructor here? He inquired causing Harvey and Erin to burst into laughter.

"Danny spent five years as a drill instructor, and later as a senior drill instructor at Parris Island" Erin informed Harvey.

"I guess you could say so, that's Louis Litt, our other named partner who is in charge of the associate attorneys. Somebody must have displeased him, again" Harvey stated just as Louis could be heard making his way towards Erin's office.

"Erin, I have had it with" he began to yell when he noticed Danny staring right at him. Louis froze as the retired Marine took a step towards him and stared him down as Erin and Harvey looked on.

"Who's this" Louis asked Erin as he pointed at Danny

Danny took a step closer to Louis: "If you want to know who I am, then I suggest you grow a pair and ask me yourself".

"Okay, who are you?" Louis hesitantly asked.

"Daniel Fitzgerald Reagan, Sergeant Major of the United States Marine Corps, retired, and you?" Danny asked.

"Louis Litt, Senior partner" Louis replied.

"Mr. Litt" Danny stated while placing the emphasis on 'mister', I could clearly hear you addressing your troops. At one time I was a senior drill instructor at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island. I and my junior drill instructors would have taught you the correct manner by which you motivate those entrusted to you" Danny stated in his firmest D.I. voice as he stared Louis down.

"I would have been honored to have served Sir." Louis nervously replied as he saluted Danny.

"You do not 'Sir' an enlisted man Mr. Litt. Unlike officers, we actually work" Danny stated as he returned the salute. "Dismissed" Danny ordered and Louis turned around and bolted from Erin's office.

Erin and Harvey were speechless.

"What just happened?" Harvey wanted to know.

Erin folded her arms: "I think Danny just handed Louis his ass".

Danny addressed Harvey: "Mr. Litt is a bully. A bully is nothing more than a coward with power over others. We had no tolerance for bullying in the Marine Corps. It's one thing to break a man down but you do so in order build him back up, better, stronger, more confident in himself and his abilities, to make him part of something larger than himself so that he can achieve a sense of purpose and fulfil his duty. I sense that Mr. Litt enjoys the former and makes no effort at the latter. He uses his subordinates as receptacles for his psychic waste. We discharged drill instructors who treated our recruits that way. I suggest that someone else mentor your associates and that Mr. Litt seek some form of help with his anger. I can recommend an excellent psychiatrist, or perhaps some R&R at Parris Island would be in order, preferably the latter" Danny stated.

"A pleasure to have met you" Danny said as he shook Harvey's hand before walking over to Erin and giving her a kiss on the cheek. "See you later Sis" He stated as he departed her office.

Harvey looked at Erin: "That is one intense man, not at all like Jamie or Joe".

"He's also a very observant man, and he's dead on about Louis" Erin warned.

"R&R?" Harvey inquired.

"Rest & Recuperation, what the Military calls vacation" Erin replied.

"They have a resort at Parris Island?" Harvey asked.

"Not the kind that any of us would enjoy" She firmly replied.

Offices of Dr. Joseph C. Reagan, M.D., PhD,

The Empire State Building

79th Floor

New York, NY

11 SEP 2025

11:54 hours local

Danny stepped off the elevator onto the 79th floor of New York City's most iconic building. After being in the modern glass and chrome skyscrapers that housed Erin's and Jamie's law practices, he felt a certain comfort in returning to the steel and concrete structure that had adorned the City's skyline since 1931. Even its name evoked a sense of majesty and power, "Empire State" as it said on the license plates.

Danny walked over to suite 7900 and opened the door.

There was no reception room and no receptionist, so Danny sat down and began reading a magazine. Twenty minutes later he heard a door close next door to the one he had entered. A moment later, the door to the inner office opened and his brother looked out to see him.

"Ach, so you are mein new patient, ja?" Joe excitedly stated with a German accent as he rubbed his hands.

"You wish" Danny grunted as he got up.

"Good timing, I just finished my last appointment for the morning" He stated.

"That must have been who went out the other door" Danny said.

"Yep, I don't like my patients to know who else I am treating, so this provides some semblance of privacy, so what have you been doing all day?" Joe asked.

"Visited Jamie and Erin at their offices" He answered as he walked in and surveyed Joe's tastefully yet subdued office. "Quite a difference from their digs" Danny commented.

"Intentionally so, I want my patients to feel comfortable, stable. That's why I love this building, because unlike where our sibs work, there's a solidity to this old barn. When I looked for office space, I only looked at two buildings, this and Chrysler and that one had a waiting list, plus, this particular office was available and had a historical significance that I appreciated" Joe stated.

"What was that?" Danny asked.

"Come here, I'll show ya" Joe exclaimed as he led Danny over to the north wall.

"What do you see?" Joe asked.

"A wall with windows in it" Danny answered.

"Exactly, but at 9:40 a.m. on July 28, 1945, that wall and those windows ceased to exist" Joe informed him.

"Why?" Danny inquired.

"I'm glad you asked that. Because a B-25 heading from Bedford Army Air Field in Massachusetts to Newark Airport got lost in the fog and slammed right into that wall. Took it completely out between the 78th and 80th floors, 14 people were killed" Joe stated.

Danny gave Joe a quizzical look: "And why would you want to be in the office where 14 people died? He asked.

"Not all 14 died in this office, however, to answer your question, on that day this was the office of the National Catholic Welfare Council. Eleven people working on this floor and the one above and below it came to work that day, just like any other day. The war in Europe had ended two months earlier, and VJ day was getting close, in fact, only two weeks later, two atomic bombs would be dropped on Japan. They had probably just gotten a cup of coffee, or were looking through messages and correspondence, thinking about where to go for lunch, and maybe making plans for that evening, and then out of nowhere, death rained down on those poor souls. Hopes and dreams that would never be realized. Maybe the course of history had been changed. Remember what you said about that day on the Enterprise giving you a sense of proportion, of your limitations as a human being? This office along with its history is my Enterprise, and it reminds me each time that I enter it that you can't control fate, that there is only so much I can do for my patients, that I can't take their problems personally, that I can't make all the pain go away and right every wrong, and most importantly that I have no real control over what goes on in this world and all I can do is try my best to help, and then move on because the only control I have is over myself and even then, I'll have no fucking clue when the Golden BB with my name on it comes a calling" Joe concluded.

"I completely understand" Danny said as he stared out the window and imagined what Joe had just so eloquently illustrated.

"Come on, I'm famished, I know a great hot dog cart two blocks down the street" He said licking his lips.

"Okay, but I'm buying" Danny called.

"You won't get any argument from me big brother" Joe stated as he closed the door to his office and headed out to enjoy the city's finest street food.

One Police Plaza

14th Floor

11 SEP 2025

1:25 hours local

Danny stepped off the elevator and looked around. He hooked a left turn and followed the all around until he reached a gallery of portraits of the current and former Commissioners of the NYPD. Of course, the current Commissioner's large color portrait centered the gallery as expected. He went to the end of the bottom row where third from the end was the portrait of Henry Reagan.

Danny thought back to what Jamie had said earlier that morning, what if he had not run off and enlisted, where would he and his brothers be today? What would their lives be like?

Danny gave his grandpa a mock salute and headed towards the corner office where he reached the desk of his father's longtime personal aide, Detective Lieutenant Abigail Baker, who looked up from her desk and addressed Danny.

"May I help you?" She inquired.

"Yes, I would like to speak with the Commissioner if he is available" Danny said.

"I don't believe that you have an appointment, and the Commissioner doesn't take walk ins" She responded.

"He might if you tell him that it's his son" Danny responded.

Baker smiled. "Well, you aren't either of the sons that I know of so how about you state your business" She stated.

Danny placed his hands on her desk and leaned in. "I'm willing to bet that somewhere in that office, probably on a credenza behind his desk, the Commissioner has a photograph of a grizzled bull dog faced Marine Sergeant. Recognize this ugly mug?" Danny said as he practically stuck it in her face.

Baker's eyes went wide: "Oh my God, you're him, the oldest son" She stated as she practically jumped up from her desk and half ran to the Commissioner's office door.

Danny couldn't help notice her muscled legs and full ass, not to mention that she had a gorgeous face and piercing blue eyes.

"Commissioner, you have a surprise visitor" She announced.

"Really, and who would that be?" He inquired where upon Baker waived Danny in.

"Hi Dad" Danny stated as he entered and began looking around.

"Danny" Frank broke into a smile as he came over and hugged his son.

"Detective Lieutenant Abigail Baker, this is my first born, Sergeant Major Daniel Reagan, USMC, retired. Danny, Abby has been with me since my days as Chief of the Department back in 2006" Frank announced.

"A pleasure to meet you Lieutenant, and as for the rest, you have my condolences" Danny teased earning a bright white smile.

"The pleasure is mine" She replied before heading back out.

Danny turned to face his father. "Wow" he uttered.

"Yeah, about that, do me a favor and don't shit up the bed that I have to sleep in" Frank admonished.

Danny laughed: "Copy that, Lieutenant Abby is off the list".

"I didn't say that, it's obvious that you made an impression on her, just be a gentleman, whatever goes on between the two of you, stays that way, I don't want it affecting her with regards to this office" Frank clarified. "So, what brings you here?" He inquired.

"I spent the morning visiting my siblings, checking out their offices, getting a feeling for who they are outside of the house if you will" Danny said.

"Raider Recon" Frank grinned.

"Okay, if you want to put it that way, yeah" Danny nodded.

"What did you observe?" Frank asked.

Let's see. First, that Sydney's name is above Jamie's on the letterhead even though it's pretty clear that he's the brains of the firm. Erin's partner Louis Litt is a bully to the associates and could use a stint at Parris Island, and that Joe seems to like the solitude of having nobody else around" Other than that, I'm not sure that any of them are really happy" Danny said.

Frank reached into his desk and placed a gold shield on the desk in front of Danny. "Congratulations, you're a detective" He stated.

"So you've noticed the same things?" Danny asked.

"Yeah, and it makes me wonder whether you are the only one found your true calling" Frank stated.

"Jamie posited that had I not enlisted, I would have likely become a cop, and Joe would have followed, and then him. Erin would probably still be with the DA's office and with you in this office, we'd be sort of a family business" Danny stated.

"Irish Blue Bloods" Frank noted.

"Because traditionally the Irish were the cops, DA's, and judges" Danny nodded.

"I've often thought about what it may have been like with you and your brothers on the force. Likely all three of you would have made detective, though I think you would have been the best of the three. Joe would have made an outstanding administrator and who knows, probably would be sitting in my chair at some point. Jamie, hell, he could have become chief legal counsel, Chief of Detectives, or run any command in the city, but the other side of it is that I never have to worry whether one of you had been injured or killed in the line of duty, at least NYPD duty. I worried every day of course that you may never come home to us" He said.

"Never considered Erin might join the force?" Danny inquired.

"She never talked about it like you three did but if she had, she may have been as good a detective as I thought you would have been, maybe better" Frank answered. "Where is all this leading Dan, are you looking down the road not taken?"

"More like I'm looking at what road to take. I miss the Corps, but even more, I'm like a car that's stuck in neutral, I need to find something to do. Jamie told me to find something that gives me not only purpose, but pleasure, to do something for that I love going in, not that I learn to love over time" Danny replied.

"Sound advice, did he have any suggestions" Frank asked.

"He had a few. Maybe motivational speaker, maybe help raise funds and awareness for disabled vets" Danny answered.

"Good causes that require someone with extraordinary drive and persistence, right up the alley for a dogged Marine" Frank noted.

"Something else brought me here, a couple of things actually" Danny stated as he reached into his pocket, and placed the small box on his father's desk.

Frank opened it to find Medal of Valor that had been in Danny's medal chest.

"I don't understand, I thought General Creswell said that you refused to accept the MOH, which is why he eventually sent it to me" Frank stated.

"Yeah, about that" Danny said as he leaned back in the chair and told Frank the story of the second medal.

"So the one with the full ribbon is the one presented by the President Bush, and this one" Frank stated holding out the smaller medal.

"Was the compromise" Danny acknowledged.

"Why would General Creswell misrepresent to me that you refused to accept the MOH?" Frank inquired.

"Technically he didn't. I refused to accept the one you have not because of the medal, but because of the way that it's worn. I'd be getting saluted all the time and it made me feel like a damned officer, where this one doesn't stick out like a sore thumb, but the real reason he sent you the other medal, that goes back to a conversation Creswell and I had two days before he met you" Danny stated, as he began to tell Frank the story.

Office of the Commandant of the United States Marine Corps

The Pentagon

Washington, D.C.

7 SEP 2021

8:30 hours local

"Sergeant Major Reagan reporting as ordered, Sir" Danny stated as he saluted the Commandant of the Marine Corps.

"At ease Sergeant Major" Creswell ordered returning the salute.

"I have a four-day conference to attend two days hence in New York City. The four services, the alphabets, as well as state and locals. Your attendance is optional, however, I would appreciate your input as you are a native" Creswell stated.

"Sir, with all due respect, I would prefer to remain here and become acclimated with the duties of my office" Danny replied.

"Are you sure that's the only reason?" Creswell asked as he held out a list of conference attendees, one name prominently highlighted. "Francis X. Reagan, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department. Any relation?

"My father Sir" Danny answered.

"First Sergeant" Creswell hollered, where upon a First Sergeant appeared. "Yes General".

"Please close the door and I am not to be disturbed unless the National Command Authority takes us to Defcon 1, or the Navy trades our beloved Corps to the Air Force for the budget to build another damned aircraft carrier, understood?" Creswell ordered.

"Aye Aye General" the First Sergeant acknowledged as he closed the door.

Creswell stood up from behind his desk. "I've never been one who believed that a C.O. and his subordinates had to be all business 100% of the time. Sure, it makes for unit cohesion and discipline, but it also can lead to two people who have been around one another long enough to be frozen out on important matters that may affect efficiency so, this is one of those times that I'm going to break the rules, and since I am Commandant of the Corps, that's a perk of the job I will learn to enjoy" He said as he reached up and removed the four stars from his blouse collar. "Now, take off your insignia and set them on the desk" He ordered, which Danny did.

"Now until I pin those stars back on, there is no military courtesy required, no Sir, no General, no Sergeant Major, no officer, no enlisted, it's just Warren and Danny, two grunts jawing away, get it?" Creswell asked.

"Got it" Danny answered.

"Good, now park your ass in that chair" Creswell ordered.

Creswell began: "One week from today will be 16 years to the day that I gave you the news that your mom had died, and I offered you a blank pass home that you refused, which led to you getting your ass shot up two days later, and spending the next five months in Bethesda. When you could have taken leave during your recuperation period, you elected not to go to New York, but to return to duty. Now you don't want to accompany me back to the city of your birth and I am wondering why and don't tell me that it's personal Danny, I know all about how fucked up families can be, for Christ's sake, 80 percent of this Corps, hell, of all four of the services are made up of men running from something, and in a lot of those cases, it's their family, so how about you tell me what's going on because it should be pretty clear by now that I think of you as a little brother and that I want to help if I can".

"I left home at 17 to get away from an abusive mother" Danny began as he told Creswell the entire story.

One Police Plaza

14th Floor

11 SEP 2025

1:50 hours local

"When we pinned our insignia back on a half hour later, it was back to Commandant and his E-9, but for that 30 minute talk, I let it all out, and we agreed to never speak about it again. He promised me that he would respect my wishes not to become involved, however, I did okay him speaking to you as my C.O. so that you would hear it from him that I was doing well and to show you my service file. I guess I wanted you to know I wasn't a fuck up anymore".

Frank nodded. Even 31 years later, Danny sought his approval. "Son, I have always been proud of you, and had you come with General Creswell, I'm sure that we would have found some time just to chat, father to son, Marine to Marine, and I would not have put any pressure on you to deal with any other family member or situation that made you uncomfortable. Truth be told, I never expected you at your mother's funeral and I was relieved that you didn't come, because I knew that you weren't ready to forgive her, that you still aren't, but I can only say that she loved you, that she knew what she did was wrong, and that the cost of her actions was not only our loss of you, and your siblings' loss of their brother, but your loss of a family, and to the day that she died, she never stopped asking about you, or loving you, and she never forgave herself for pushing you into the arms of the Marine Corps.

Frank reached into his desk and produced a letter with Danny's name on it.

"I figured one day you'd make it up here" He said as he handed the letter over. Even all these years later, Danny recognized his mother's distinct handwriting.

"Not now, but sometime when you are in a better place, you may want to read it, if for no other reason than to bring things full circle and maybe provide you with some closure" Frank said as he rose followed by Danny.

"I have a meeting coming up, but we'll talk during the week, okay?" He inquired.

"Thanks Dad" Danny said as he headed towards the office exit.

"Danny?" Frank stated.

"Yeah Dad?"

Frank pointed towards where Baker was seated outside his door. "She's a wonderful woman, she's single, and she knows all about you" Frank smiled.

"Thanks Dad, but like you said, probably better for me not to shit where you have to eat".

Danny opened the door and walked out. As he passed Baker he nodded and kept on walking. Baker stood up and leaned over her desk to watch Danny depart. At the same time, she failed to notice that Frank was standing in the doorway of his office, watching her.

"When you have finished ogling my son's ass, please step into my office" He ordered as he closed the door and grinned.


End file.
